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intlieCitpafiilrttigork 

THE  LIBRARIES 


* 


T.  S.  Griffiths 


A  HISTORY  OF  BAP- 
TISTS IN  NEW  JERSEY 


BY 

TPHOrvlAS   S.    GRIFFITHS 


"Truth  is  the  historian's  crown,   and  art  squares 
it  to  comeliness." — John  Hall. 


1904 

HIGHTSTOWN,   NEW  JERSEY 

BARR   PRESS  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


L. 


Vt 


C  r  -^f 


^""^    ■  9  3<^' 


Copyright,  1904 
By  Thomas  S.  (jkiefitus 


3 


PRKKACK 


The  author  of  this  history  of  Baptists  in  New  Jersey  owes  a  vast 
debt  of  gratitude  to  pastors  and  to  others  familiar  with  olden  days 
on  account  of  their  aid  to  secure  a  fitting  history  of  the  earlier  and  later 
times.  The  work  was  undertaken  at  the  suggestion  of  Rev.  O.  P. 
Eaches  of  Hightstown.  Fifty  and  more  years  ago  the  Rev.  R.  T. 
Middleditch  was  asked  by  the  Board  of  the  State  Convention  to  Avrite 
such  a  history.  Later,  Rev.  J.  M.  Carpenter  was  a  substitute  for  Mr. 
Middleditch.  The  papers  of  these  gentleman  have  fallen  into  my 
hands  and  other  facts  have  come  to  my  knowledge.  The  author  has 
been  associated  with  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  Convention  since  1843. 
He  was  personally  acquainted  with  the  men  who  orignated  H,  and 
with  very  old  men  and  women  who  were  familiar  with  the  earliest 
times  and  has  also  stored  up  from  his  youth  data  and  facts  touching 
the  past.  He  is  specially  indebted  to  O.  B.  Leonard  of  Plainfield, 
without  whose  help  the  history  would  have  been  quite  immature.  To  T. 
T.  Price,  M.  D.,  of  Tuckerton,  a  native  of  Cape  May  county,  eminently 
familiar  with  the  Baptist  beginnings  there  about;  to  J.  W.  LyeU  of 
Camden;  to  Deacon  Howell  of  Morristown;  to  Pastor  Fisher  of  Holm- 
del;  to  Pastor  Johnson  of  Jersey  City;  to  Pastor  Sembower  of  Cedar- 
ville;  to  D.  Dewolf  of  Newark;  to  Pastor  Anschutz  of  Hoboken;  to 
C.  A.  Kenney,  clerk  of  Lafayette  church;  to  Rev.  G.  W.  Clark  and 
Rev.  O.  P.  Eaches  both  of  Hightstown,  in  preparing  the  book  for 
"press."  Mr.  Clark  also  furnished  the  sketch  of  the  Afro-^^^merican 
churches,  and  prepared  the  brief  indexes.  The  help  of  these  men 
has  been  invaluable  and  they  are  entitled  to  the  highest  praise  for 
their  aid  in  making  the  book  becoming  to  the  denomination  and  to  its 
object. 

THOS.  S.  GRIFFITHS. 


These  letters  have  come  to  me  unsolicited.  Each  of  these  gentle- 
men are  widely  known,  Hon.  O.  B.  Leonard  of  Plainfield,  New  Jersey, 
and  Dr.  T.  T.  Price  of  Tuckerton,  New  Jersej^  as  treasure  stores  of  old 
times  records.  No  others  in  New  Jersey  are  known  to  be  more  familiar 
with  our  denominational  history  from  the  first. 


"From  a  perusal  of  the  manuscript  of  New  Jersey  Baptist  churches 
history,  I  can  say  you  have  done  a  good  service  in  preparing  so  much 
valuable  information.  It  is  certainly  a  praiseworthy  undertaking, 
well  accomplished  and  will  be  a  useful  and  instructive  compendium, 
especially  of  the  early  beginnings  of  the  Baptist  churches  in  this  com- 
monwealth. The  denomination  will  be  indebted  to  you  all  through 
this  twentieth  century  for  such  comprehensive  encyclopedia." 

O.    B.    LEONARD. 
Plainfield,  New  Jersey,  March  4,  1904. 


"I  have  received  your  manuscript  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure. 
It  has  been  a  labor  of  love.  You  have  certainly  condensed  the  materials 
wonderfully.  I  find  nothing  to  alter  and  little  to  criticise.  Let  us 
never  lower  our  flag,  nor  fail  to  honor  our  noble  heroic  ancestry.  I 
congratulate  you  that  vour  work  is  so  nearly  complete  and  so  well  done." 

T.  T.  PRICE,  M.  D. 
Tuckerton,  New  Jersey,  January  8th,  1904.    . 


INTRODUCTION 


Many  requests  have  come  to  me  to  write  the  History  of  New 
Jersey  Baptists,  founded  upon  my  long  acquaintance  with  Baptist 
interests.  Acquaintance,  however,  with  men  and  facts  is  but  one 
requisite  to  write  history,  if  associated  with  a  genial,  impartial  and 
philosophic  temper;  discriminating  between  fact  and  legend,  prejudice 
and  truth,  excepting  always  the  "materials  of  Morgan  Edwards," 
which  are  invaluable  and  the  only  record  we  have  of  the  early  times. 
Memorials  are  lost  that  would^have  been  links  in  our  chain  of  history, 
distinctive  of  the  men,  of  whom  we  know  but  little  and  yet  enough  to 
revere  them.  These  memorials,  did  we  have  them,  would  be  index 
pointers  at  the  corners  of  historic  travel,  whereby  we  could  better 
know  the  "ebb  and  flood"  of  opinions  as  well  as  the  places  of  the 
"liight  house  men"  by  whom  "courses"  have  been  laid  in  the  "crises" 
of  our  denominational  life.  These,  whether  fragments  or  consecutive 
records,  are  not  appreciated  in  the  time  of  their  happening,  but  later 
are  invaluable.  Since  Morgan  Edwards  wrote  his  "materials"  there 
has  not  been  a  historical  record  of  Baptist  affairs.  Since  the  "Acts  of 
the  Apostles,"  the  history  of  Christianity  has  been  an  account  of 
divers'  teachings  and  of  sects  without  number,  indicating  that  Chris- 
tianity later  as  at  the  first  looses  the  shackles  off  of  mind  and  con- 
sciences; sets   men  to  thinking,  constituting  them  independent. 

We  Baptists,  and  other  names  of  Christendom  have  multiplied  in 
this  land  of  tlie  free  beyond  all  anticipations.  Others  have  had  im- 
mense source  of  increase  by  emigration.  Ourselves  have  had  but 
growth.  New  Jersey  included  a  large  variety  of  people  from  abroad. 
England,  and  her  dependencies,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Holland,  Germany 
and  France  contributed  a  quota,  among  them  each  were  Baptists, 
including  a  large  number  of  men  and  women  and  persons  of  wealth. 
Baptist  judges  were  in  the  courts  and  were  usually  members  of  the 
Governor's  council.  The  pastors  of  our  churches  were  the  equals  of 
any  other  denomination.  The  Eatons,  Stellcs,  Morgans,  Millers  and 
Mannings  have  no  superiors.  In  the  central  part  of  the  colony,  five 
schools  of  different  denominations  and  of  the  highest  grade.  Two 
of  them.  Baptists,  were  located  within  a  radius  of  twenty  miles. 
Soon  after,  1700,  the  first  Baptist  college  went  from  New  Jersey. 
Its  churches  furnished  a  majority  of  the  constituents  of  the  first 
association  on  the  continent.  Legacies  exceeding  thousands  of  dollars 
were  left  for  education  in  New  Jersey,  and  contributions  and  legacies 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

to  educate  for  the  ministry  were  made  long  before  there  was  an  educa- 
tion society. 

The  origin  of  Baptists  has  been  a  prolific  theme.  Among  our- 
selves there  is  a  wide  dissent.  Only  a  few  account  among  us  that 
antiquity  is  of  any  worth,  esteeming  it  better  to  be  right  now,  than 
to  concern  ourselves  about  those  who  lived  a  thousand  years  since. 
There  is  but  one  Protestant  sect  that  maintains  the  dogma  of 
"succession"  as  essential  to  the  reality  of  the  church.  While  it  may 
be  that  Baptist  churches  have  succeeded  each  other  in  the  centuries, 
it  is  not  proved.  The  only  fact  in  worth  assurance  is  ihat  we  are 
conformed  to  the  New  Testament  pattern.  Age  matters  little.  Sin 
is  older  than  time.  It  is  the  oldest  sad  fact  of  the  world  and  is  none 
the  better  for  its  antiquity,  but  the  worse.  Baptists  have  have  been 
a  distinctive  people  for  many  ages.  Moshieme  in  his  history  of  Chris- 
tianity, said  of  them:  "Their  origin  is  hid  in  the  depths  of  antiquity." 
In  other  words,  a  people  who  have  always  baptized,  are  constantly 
cropping  out  in  religious  history.  Many  of  the  good  and  wise  of 
other  Christian  names  than  Baptist,  who  have  made  religious 
history  their  study,  agree  with  Moshieme.  Not  that  a  people 
known  by  our  name  have  existed  from  time  immemorial,  but  that 
sects  like  to  ours  have  appeared  far  back  in  the  centuries.  In- 
deed thej'  held  as  Bible  teachings,  some  things  which  we  reject. 
As  families  of  children  differ,  some  tall,  some  short;  some  frail  and 
some  strong,  so  of  sects.  Allied  in  some  things,  different  in  others. 
Some  admit  our  antiquity  and  load  on  us  the  odiimi  of  the  wrong 
doing  of  the  fanatics  of  1530,  who  like  us  claimed  that  immersion 
only,  is  baptism. 

Belief  that  immersion  only  is  baptism,  does  not  constitute  a 
Baptist.  Else  tens  of  thousands  of  members  of  Pedo  Baptist  churches 
are  Baptists,  such  as  Mormons.  Other  sects,  whose  fellowship  evan- 
gelical Christendom  repells.  A  fundamental  and  primary  distinction 
of  Baptists  is,  that  the  Bible  is  the  only  authoritj^  for  a  Christian 
faith  and  practice;  that  each  disciple  has  an  inalienable  right  to  deter- 
mine for  himself,  what  its  teaching  is,  irrespective  of  birthright, 
ruler,  priest  or  church.  A  Baptist  is  one  who  is  responsible  to  God 
only  for  what  he  does  in  his  name.  Obedience  is  conformity  to  his 
will,  not  in  part,  but  in  all  things.  "Be  ye  scpara^te"  is  as  essential 
as  taking  the  Word  of  God  as  a  final  rule  of  light  and  of  hope.  There 
is  l)ut  one  proof  of  legitimacy,  a  New  Testament  birth.  Our  origin 
may  have  been  in  the  first,  the  fourteenth  or  the  twentieth  century; 
it  matters  not  which.  The  children  of  a  lawful  marriage  are  equally 
legitimate,  whether  born  in  the  first  or  the  seventh  marriage.     Our 


INTRODUCTION  vii 

ancostry  or  antiquity  is  of  no  moment  other  than  that  it  is  of  the 
Divine  Word. 

Let  us,  however,  be  mindful  of  the  men  who  have  gone  before  us. 
We  inherit  their  integrity  to  the  truth.  Those  who  follow  us,  will 
glory  in  our  integrity,  if  we  give  to  them  the  truth,  as  pure  and  as 
Christly  as  we  have  received  it;  free  speech,  free  conscience,  an  open 
Bible  and  adherence  to  the  scripture  pattern,  both  of  church  order  and 
of  the  ordinances.  {Hebrew  13:10.)  "For  we  have  an  altar,  whereof 
they  have  no  right  to  eat  who  serve  the  Tabernacle."  Subject  as 
is  humanity  to  the  changing  current  of  human  opinions,  there  is  no 
safety  in  equal  civil  and  religious  rights.  The  few  Baptists  of 
the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  have  infused  North  America 
and  Eastern  Europe  with  the  Baptist  idea  of  equal  rights  and  liberties. 

Liberty  has  its  chief  enemy  in  the  abuse  of  it.  Even  good  men 
use  it,  as  if  liberty  was  license.  There  is  need  to  keep  in  mind  the 
exhortation:  (I  Cor.  8:9)  "Take  heed  therefore,  lest  by  any  means, 
this  liberty  of  yours  be  a  stumbling  block."  A  peril  to  Baptists  is 
that  liberty  is  a  law  to  itself.  Civil  and  religious  liberty  sc.cm.s  safe, 
but  while  Baptists  have  refused  government  aid  for  their  schools, 
not  a  decade  has  passed  since  protestant  denominations  have  received 
monies  for  their  sectarian  uses. 

Only  in  the  United  States  do  Protestants,  except  Baptists,  refuse 
public  monies  for  sectarian  use.  Such  a  fact  is  of  tremendous  meaning. 
As  the  battle  for  the  separation  of  Church  and  State  was  won  by  Bap- 
tists, Baptists  are  the  only  security  for  the  permencancy  of  the  separa- 
tion. Liberty  of  speech,  liberty  of  conscience,  equal  civil  rights,  man 
his  own  master  Godward,  manward,  are  essentially  involved  in  the  con- 
tinuance of  this  order.  Civil  and  religious  liberty  is  not  that  one  may 
do  and  think  what  he  pleases,  but  that  one  may  do  and  think  what 
is  right  to  think  and  do.  "Things  honest  in  the  sight  of  God"  is  the 
Divine  limitation  of  doing  and  thinking.  Our  view  is:  That  the  right 
of  private  judgement  involves  the  necessity  of  respecting  the  opinion 
of  another. 

Agreement  is  the  Baptist  conception  of  church  fellowship  and  is 
Scriptural:  (Amos  3 :  3)  "Can  two  walk  together  except  they  be  agreed." 
The  going  out  of  Judas  Iscariot  in  the  interval  of  the  Passover  and  of  the 
institution  of  the  "Supper,"  illustrates  the  great  truth  that  the  ordi- 
nance divides  to  unite.  At  Babel  human  self  sufficiency  scattered  the 
people,  till  at  Pentecost,  "men  out  of  every  nation  under  heaven"  were 
gathered  together,  phophetic  of  the  Gospel  mission  to  gather  "into  one" 
in  the  churches  of  Christ.  Christianity  is  the  most  potent  force  to 
endow  men  with  care  for  the  "little   things,    but   as   much  for   few 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

things."  Where  the  gold  and  clay  are  commingled  truth  and  false- 
hood have  fellowship. 

Certain  data  are  significant  of  the  Divine  part,  in  our  advanced  era: 
In  1436,  Gutenberg  used  types  to  print  with;  1483,  Luther  was  born; 
1492,  America  was  discovered;  in  1526,  the  first  English  Bible  was  print- 
ed; the  first  Swedish  Scriptures,  in  1528,  1530  the  first  Gennan  Bible, 
the  first  French  Scriptures  in  1531;  Henry  VIII  divorced  England 
and  Rome,  in  1534;  the  Duke  of  Alva  at  the  end  of  the  Thirty  Years' 
War  to  destroy  Holland,  retired  in  1573;  Within  about  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  years  occurred  these  wonderful  events,  fraught  with  the 
rescue  of  mankind  from  the  tyranies  of  civil  and  religious  despotism. 
With  but  two  other  eras  can  this  period  be  compared:  That  of  the 
birth  of  the  Immanuel,  and  that  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
by  the  American  colonies.  The  last  of  which  was  the  culmination  of 
the  events  from  1436  to  1573. 

In  the  meantime,  God  had  kept  North  America  from  Piomish  settle- 
ment and  sent  hither  the  Bible  educated  men  of  Europe  to  constitute 
a  nation  he  had  prepared  for  Himself.  How  happened  this  chain  of 
events:  Printing,  Luther  born,  America  foimd,  an  open  Bilile,  England 
wrenched  from  Popish  rule,  this  continent  sliut  up  from  an  alien  Christi- 
anity and  conditions  in  their  native  lands  to  drive  these  Bible  taught 
people  to  a  wildreness  owned  by  savages  thousands  of  miles  over  the 
sea,  if  God  had  no  hand  in  it,  if  He  had  no  purpose  in  the  world's  life? 
A  miracle  greater  than  giving  life  to  the  dead  and  corresponding  to  His 
resurrection.  Civil  and  religious  freedom  came  to  the  earth  peacefully, 
elsewhere  it  would  have  cost  an  increditable  price  of  human  life  and 
treasure.  Amid  the  surprises  of  history  is  the  ease  and  certainty  with 
which  the  wise  plans  of  the  Jesuits  to  pre-empt  this  continent  for  them- 
selves were  brushed  aside.  Their  mission  enterprises  are  wonderful  not 
alone  for  their  vast  comprehension,  but  also  for  their  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,  a  Saviour.  The  recesses  of  Asia  and  Africa,  the  isles  of  the  sea, 
the  frozen  North  and  the  frozen  South,  the  martyrdoms  of  the  Roman 
missionaries,  tell  the  story  of  the  crucifixion  which  exceeds  even  the  ro- 
mance of  the  life  of  Loyola,  the  founder  of  the  Jesuit  order.  In  North 
America,  their  stations  through  Canada  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  St.  Paul, 
thence  North  and  West  to  the  Pacific  and  South  to  New  Orleans,  and 
all  communicating  with  each  other  from  Northern  glaciers  to  Cape 
Horn.  What  South  America  is  North  America  would  have  been  only 
that  God  turned  hither  men  who  had  learned  of  Him,  of  themselves, 
and  who  had  access  to  Him  without  the  intervention  of  a  priest.  An 
open  Bible  has  been  mightier  than  either  priest  or  infidel. 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

Neither  Roman  Catholics  nor  Protestants  in  Europe  gave  protection 
to  Baptists,  with  the  exception  of  Philip  of  Hesse.  Roman  Catholics 
and  Protestants  persecuted  to  death  Baptists.  The  fundamental  faith 
of  Baptists,  the  Bible,  a  law  for  kings,  priests  and  people  alike  and  each 
disciple  a  judge  for  himself  of  what  is  truth;  all  men  having  an  inalien- 
able right  to  teach  his  own  convictions  of  truth  and  duty,  a  heresy  in 
the  times  which  consented  to  kingly  and  priestly  right  to  dictate, 
which  sentiment  stripped  king  and  priest  of  right  and  power.  John  Knox, 
Luther,  Melancthon,  Zwingle  and  even  the  rulers  of  Holland,  plotted 
to  exterminate  the  malignant  sect.  Phillip  of  Hesse  at  one  time  was 
their  protector.  Of  the  two  thousand  and  more  Ana  Baptists  executed 
up  to  1530,  not  one  had  died  or  suffered  harm  in  Hesse.  In  1529,  in 
reply  to  a  remonstrance  from  the  electors  of  Saxony,  Philip  wrote*.  "We 
are  still  unable  at  the  present  time  to  find  it  in  our  conscience  to  have 
any  one  executed  with  the  sword  on  account  of  his  faith,  to  punish  capit- 
ally those  who  have  done  nothing  more  than  err  in  the  faith,  cannot  be 
justified  on  Gospel  grounds."  When  fire,  or  rack,  and  sword  awaited 
our  brethren  in  every  other  place,  Hesse  was  a  refuge  for  them.  Mon- 
vovia  also  for  .selfish  and  business  reasons  gave  Baptists  comparative 
seciu-ity  from  the  stake,  the  dungeon  and  the  rack,  they  being  experts 
in  certain  manufactures  for  which  Monvovia  had  repute  from  abroad. 

It  is  well  to  judge  charitably  of  the  people  who  lived  centuries 
back.  Mindful  of  the  times  in  which  they  lived,  of  their  education 
under  Roman  Catholic  training.  MacauUy  indicates  why  and  how  it 
was  that  kings  and  rulers  of  the  States  of  Europe,  except  England  and 
Holland  gained  absolute  rule  over  the  estates  and  consciences  of  their 
subjects.  The  Parliaments  of  England  and  Holland  kept  control  of 
the  purse  and  thus  bridled  their  Kings,  compelling  them  to  heed 
their  subjects  in  order  to  get  supplies  for  their  maintainance.  The 
purse  is  always  a  fulcrum  of  power,  whether  in  the  hand  of  the 
executive  or  in  that  of  the  people.  With  the  sword  in  one  hand  and 
the  purse  in  the  other,  the  people  had  but  one  alternative,  sub- 
mission. 

Printing  had  made  the  Bible  an  open  book,  educating  the  people 
into  a  conscioasness  of  responsibility  for  what  they  were  and  what  they 
ought  to  be.  The  discovery  of  America  had  awakened  hopes  of  escape 
from  the  bondage  of  priest  and  king.  Thus  social,  political,  and  spirit- 
ual inspirations  transformed  the  era. 

In  lf)43,  the  "Westminster  Confession  of  Faith"  was  formulated. 
While  showing  some  advance  from  the  cruel  policies  of  former  times, 
"the  confession  retained  the  lever  of  civil  authority  to  meddle  in  the 
religion  of  men.     It  affirmed  that  "heretics  may  be  lawfully  called  to 


X  INTRODUCTION 

account  and  proceeded  against  by  the  civil  magistrate.  It  asserted  the 
duty  of  the  civil  magistrate  to  preserve  the  unity  and  peace  of  the 
church;  to  suppress  heresies  and  reform  all  corruptions  and  abuses  in 
worship  and  discipline."  The  Baptist  "Confession  of  Faith,"  published 
in  the  year  before,  1642,  declared:  "It  is  the  duty  of  the  magistrate 
to  tenderly  care  for  the  liberty  of  men's  consciences  without  which  all  other 
liberties  will  not  be  worth  naming,  much  less  enjoying.  And  as  we  can- 
not do  anything  contrary  to  conscience,  so,  neither  can  we  forbear  the 
doing  of  that  which  our  consciences  bind  us  to  do,  but  in  case  we  find  not 
the  magistrate  to  favor  us  herein,  yet  we  dare  not  suspend  our  practice, 
because  we  believe  we  ought  to  go  on  in  obedience  to  Christ." 

In  1610,  thirty-three  years  before  the  adoption  of  the  "Westminster 
Confession,"  Baptists  issued  "a  confession  of  faith"  in  which  they  assert 
"that  the  magistrate  is  not  to  meddle  with  religion  or  matters  of  con- 
science, nor  compel  men  to  this  or  that  form  of  religion,  because  Christ 
is  the  King  and  Law-giver  of  the  Church  and  conscience."  The  West- 
minster Assembly  might  have  known  by  these  published  statements 
(and  by  their  contention  against  Baptist  teaching)  a  better  way  than 
theirs.  After  one  hundred  and  forty-four  years,  1787,  the  "West- 
minster Confession"  was  altered  to  conform  to  our  Constitution,  which 
guaranteed  civil  and  religious  liberty  to  all,  without  respect  to  magis- 
terial or  courtly  permission. 

Among  the  memorable  events  of  history  was  the  part  Baptists  had 
incorporating  in  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  the  guarantees 
of  religious  liberty  and  civil  rights  to  all  who  live  under  the  constitution. 
History  is  silent  of  the  means  and  men  whereliy  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples of  Baptists  were  incorporated  in  the  Constitiuton.  Writers  of 
secular  history  are  of  two  classes;  One,  having  but  little  knowledge  and 
less  appreciation  of  Christianity  and,  hence,  ignorant  of  the  influences, 
which  as  a  constituent  of  society  and  a  factor  of  government  it  imbues 
with  its  teaching  of  right  and  of  law.  The  other  class  having  a  denomi- 
national relation  is  preoccupied  with  their  religious  predilections  and 
rarely  see  with  unbiassed  mind  the  good  others  exert  and  think  it  of 
indifferent  moment.  Neither  is  a  competent  historian  ignorant  as  they 
are  of  the  quiet  force  that  lays  foundations  and  plants  "land  marks," 
which  determine  the  courses  of  generations. 

Only  Pennsylvaina,  New  Jersey  and  Rhode  Island  were  colonies 
that  never  knew  a  persecution.  In  New  Jersey  as  in  Rhode  Island  there 
were  historic  facts  that  distinguished  the  source  of  the  nation's  constitu- 
tional liberties.  About  1664-5,  Obadiah  Holmes,  Sr.,  a  victim  of 
Puritanical  persecution  in  Massachusetts  came  with  other  Baptists  and 
some  "Friends"  (Quakers)  and  took  up  a  large  tract  of  land  in  East 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

Jorspy.  These  f!;uaranteod  in  their  patent:  "Unto  any  and  all  who 
shall  plant  and  inhabit  any  of  the  lands  aforesaid,  they  shall  have  free 
liberty  of  conscience  without  any  molestation  or  disturbance  whatsoever 
in  their  way  of  worship."  In  1666,  a  colony  of  Congregationa,lists  from 
Connecticut  founded  Newark,  New  Jersey.  These  resolved  that:  "None 
should  be  admitted  freemen,  or  free  Burgesses,  save  such  as  were  members 
of  one  or  the  other  of  the  Congregational  Churches,  and  determined  as  a  fun- 
damental agreement  and  order  that  any  who  might  differ  in  religious 
opinion  from  them  and  who  would  not  keep  their  views  to  themselves  should 
be  compelled  to  leave  the  place."  These  provisions  show  whence  the 
nation's  liberties  came. 

Many  Baptists  in  New  Jersey  and  in  Pennsylvania  held  judicial 
positions.  Pastor  N.  Jenkins  of  First  Baptist  church  of  Cape  May 
was  a  member  of  the  Governor's  Council.  In  1721,  a  bill  was  intro- 
duced into  the  Council  to  punish  those  who  denied  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity;  the  Divinity  of  Christ;  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,  etc., 
Mr.  Jenkins  opposed  it. 

The  bill  was  quashed.  Delegates  from  twelve  colonies  met  at 
Philadelphia  when  Congress  was  in  session  in  September,  1774.  Rev. 
Mr.  Backus  of  Massachusetts,  an  eminent  Baptist,  was  urged  by  Rev. 
J.  Manning,  John  Gano,  William  Van  Horn  and  Hezekiah  Smith  to 
go  to  Philadelphia  and  see  if  something  could  not  be  done  to  secure 
our  religious  liberties."  There  was  a  meeting  of  the  chief  members 
of  Congress:  Thomas  Gushing,  Samuel  and  John  Adams,  R.  T.  Paine, 
James  Kinsey,  Stephens  Hopkins,  Samuel  Ward,  J.  Galloway  and 
Thomas  Mifflin,  the  Mayor  and  foremost  "Friends  of  the  City"  and 
Baptists,  Mr.  Backus,  Samuel  Jones,  William  Rogers  and  Morgan 
Edwards.  The  last  three  pastors,  in  Philadelphia  of  Baptist  churches. 
A  principal  speaker  was  Israel  Pemberton,  a  Quaker.  John  Adams 
accused  him  of  Jesuitism.  Then,  says  a  record  of  the  meeting:  "Up 
rose  Israel  Pemberton:"  "John,  John,"  he  said,  "Dost  thou  not 
know  when  "Friends"  were  hung  in  thy  colony;  when  Baptists  were 
hung  and  whipped  and  finally  when  Edward  Shippen,  a  great  mer- 
chant of  Boston  was  publicly  whipped  because  he  would  not  subscribe 
to  the  belief  of  thee  and  thy  Fathers  and  was  driven  to  the  colony, 
of  which  he  afterwards  became  Governor?"  In  the  midst  of  the  dis- 
cussion, John  Adams  exclaimed:  "The  Baptists  might  as  well  expect 
a  change  in  the  solar  system,  as  to  expect  that  the  Massachusetts 
authorities  would  give  up  their  establishment." 

The  reporter  present  at  the  meeting  adds  to  the  former  state- 
ment: "In  that  struggle,  as  always  before,  the  Baptists  led  and  the 
foremost  man  among  them  was  James  Manning,  President  of  Brown 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

University,  baptized  and  licensed  at  Scotch  Plains,  New  Jersey,  and 
educated  in  that  state.  We  owe  nothing  to  the  Puritans  for  our 
civil  and  religious  liberties.  Had  they  had  their  way  we  would  not 
have  had  them.  A  line  of  inquiry  for  the  origin  of  Baptists  has  not 
been  explored.  Baptist  churches  appeared  among  them  at  a  very 
early  date,  so  that  their  beginning  is  unknown  nor  probably  ever  will 
be.  A  tradition  among  them  is:  "that  they  have  been  Baptists 
since  the  Go.spel  was  first  preached  in  Wales."  From  the  earliest 
date  they  have  cherished  those  amazing  ideas  of  human  rights  of  civil 
and  religious  liberty,  of  which  we  l)oast.  "The  non-conformist"  an 
English  paper  asserts,  "in  England  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  Bap- 
tists existed  as  early  as  the  third  century."  (Cook,  page  27.)  Austin, 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury  in  the  sixth  had  groat  trouble  with  a  colony 
of  Baptists  in  Wales  and  used  such  repressive  measures  as  to  load 
his  memory  with  infamy."  C.  H.  Spurgeon  said:  "It  would  not  be 
impossible  to  show  that  the  fir.st  Christians  who  dwelt  in  this  land  were 
of  the  same  faith  and  order  as  the  believers  who  are  now  called 
Baptists."  The  Welsh,  ostracized  from  commerce  and  travel;  shut  up 
in  their  mountains  are  left  out  of  history.  Yet  they  had  advanced 
views  of  social  life;  of  civil  and  of  religious  liberties  and  equalities 
that  antidate  memory   and  hi.story. 

The  Welsh  Triads  were  a  code  of  law,  unique  and  unparalleled, 
known  only  to  themselves.  The  Triads  are  thus  named  because  set 
in  threes,  three  being  a  sacred  number  among  the  Druids,  who  were 
priests  and  teachers,  learned  and  influential.  These  Triads  are  said  to 
have  originated  among  the  Welsh  Druids  and  were  added  to  by  suc- 
ceeding generations.  The  Welsh  Druids  are  said  to  be  in  advance  of 
other  Druids  in  their  ideas  of  the  "rights"  of  mankind,  and  taught 
"That  it  was  the  duty  of  all  men  to  seek  after  trnth  and  to  receive 
{maintain)  it,  against  the  whole  world,"  an  assertion  which  is  the  germ 
of  civil  and  of  religious  freedom,  and  the  essential  element  of  growth 
in  physics,  morals  and  brains.  Roger  Williams  and  William  Penn,  each 
of  Welsh  origin,  incorporated  in  the  charter  of  their  colonies,  the  largest 
liberties  to  all.  The  Triads  were  evolved  from  what  is  called  "Dy- 
venwal  Moelmud."  They  were  knowni  abroad,  about  three  centuries 
before  Christ.  Of  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight,  twenty  are  inser- 
ted .showing  their  type  and  the  intensity  of  their  provision  for  a 
free  conscience;  a  free  speech;  and  the  equal  rights  of  prince  and 
peasant;   king  and  subject,   noble  and  workman. 

I  Three  pillars  of  the  social  state;  sovereignty;  the  law  of  the 
country;  the  office  of  a  judge. 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

II  Three  duties  incumbent  on  each  of  these  three,  instruction; 
information  and  record;  regulations  for  the  good  of  the  community; 
justice,  privilege  and  protection  to  all. 

III  Three  elements  of  law;  knowledge;  natural  right;  consci- 
entiousness. 

IV  Three  things  which  a  judge  ought  always  to  study:  equity, 
habitually;  mercy,  conscientiously;  knowledge,  profoundly  and 
accurately. 

V  Three  things  necessary  in  a  judge:  To  be  earnest  in  his 
zeal  for  the  truth;  to  inquire  diligently  to  find  out  the  truth  from 
others;  to  be  subtle  in  examining  in  any  cause  brought  into  his  court; 
to  discover  deceit,  in  order  that  his  decision  may  be  just  and 
conscientious. 

VI  Three  guardians  of  law:  a  learned  judge;  a  faithful  witness; 
a  conscientious  decision. 

VII  Three  ties  of  civil  society;  just  liberty  of  ingress  and  of 
egress;  common  rights;  just  laws. 

VIII  Three  things  bring  a  state  or  community  to  ruin.  Exor- 
bitant privileges;  perversion  of  justice;  an  unconcern. 

IX  Three  bonds  of  society:  sameness  of  rights;  sameness  of 
occupancy;  sameness  of  constitutional  law. 

X  Three  of  a  common  rank  against  whom  a  weapon  is  not  to 
be  unsheathed:  a  man,  who  is  unarmed;  a  man  before  he  has  a  beard; 
a  woman. 

XI  Every  Welshman  has  by  birth  three  native  rights:  In  the 
term  of  Welshman  a  Welsh  woman  is  included;  The  cultivation  of  a 
tenure  of  five  acres  of  land  in  his  own  right;  the  use  of  defensive 
arms  and  signs  (armorial  insignia);  the  right  of  voting;  which  a  male 
attains  when  he  has  a  beard;  and  a  female  when  she  marries. 

XII  There  are  three  prohibitions  of  the  unsheathing  of  offensive 
weapon  or  of  holding  them  in  the  hand:  In  an  assembly  of  worship 
in  a  court  of  the  country  and  of  the  Lord;  the  arms  of  a  guest  where 
he  remains. 

XIII  Three  things  appertain  to  every  man  personally:  in- 
tance;  right;  kind. 

XIV  Three  excellencies  of  the  law:  to  prevent  oppression;  to  pun- 
ish evil  deeds;  to  secure  a  just  retribution  for  what  is  unlawfully  done. 

XV  Three  kinds  of  justice  in  law:  justice  as  it  depends  on  truth; 
on  knowledge;  on  conscience;  truth  is  the  root  of  judgment;  conscience 
is  the  root  of  discrimination;  knowledge  is  the  root  of  conduct  to  its 
conclusion. 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

XVI  Three  things  that  make  a  man  worthy  of  being  chief  of  a 
clan:  That  if  he  speak  to  a  relation,  he  is  listened  to;  that  he  will  con- 
tend with  a  relation  and  be  feared  bj'  him;  and  that  he  is  offered  security, 
it  will  be  accepted. 

XVII  Three  protections  are  general:  a  court  of  law;  a  place  of 
worship;  a  plow  or  team  at  work. 

XVIII  Three  things  that  must  be  listened  to  by  a  court  or  judge: 
a  complaint;  a  petition;  a  reply. 

XIX  There  are  three  standing  forms  as  to  a  court:  to  appoint  a 
proper  day  for  its  commencement;  the  pleading;  the  judgment;  that  the 
place  be  well  knowTi  within  sight  of  country  and  clan;  the  assembling 
peacefully  and  quietly  and  that  there  be  no  naked  weapon  against  any 
who  go  to  court. 

XX  Three  that  are  silent  in  a  general  assembly;  The  Lord  of  the 
soil  or  king;  for  he  is  to  listen  to  what  is  said  and  when  he  has  heard  all, 
he  may  speak,  what  he  may  deem  necessary,  as  the  law  and  the  decision 
the  law  require;  the  Judge  who  is  not  to  speak  till  ho  declares  his  judg- 
ment as  to  that  which  has  been  proved  and  declared  to  the  jur}^;  one 
who  is  surety  for  another  and  not  bound  to  reply,  but  the  Judge  or  Jury. 

A  question  occurs.  Did  not  Blackstone  draw  his  ideas  of  justice 
and  of  truth  and  equality  from  these  Triads?  They  provide  that  no 
unsheathed  weapon  shall  be  allowed  in  a  place  of  worship,  nor  in  a 
court.  That  a  teacher  ought  to  be  in  each  family.  That  neither 
King,  Lord,  Judge  and  surety  be  allowed  to  meddle  in  the  debates  of 
the  assembh^;  that  a  homestead  of  five  acres  and  a  married  woman's 
right  to  vote  were  guaranteed.  But  one  persecution  has  ever  been  knowTi 
in  Wales,  except  one  in  a  foray  of  Roman  Catholics,  who  were  immedi- 
ately expelled  from  the  land,  nor  has  there  been  kno-\\Ti  a  case  of  idol 
worship. 

Happily  America  proved  a  refuge  where  freedom  was  safe.  Our 
denominational  life  was  nurtured  by  Welsh  pastors.  Only  in  the 
L^nited  States  of  America  are  there  constitutional  guarantees  of  free 
worship,  and  of  speech.  Baptists  and  Quakers  paid  the  penalty  of 
having  an  open  Bible.  Outside  of  the  three  colonies,  Rhode  Island, 
Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  even  in  America,  there  was  no  security 
for  them.  In  Maryland  there  was  a  limited  freedom.  In  1639,  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith  was  made  the  creed  of  the  colony.  But  in  ten 
years,  the  law  was  amended  guaranteeing  liberty  of  worship  to  all 
who  worshipped  Jesus  Christ,  shutting  out  Unitarians,  and  infidels  and 
all  who  denied  to  Virgin  Mary  her  Romish  functions.  After  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution,  the  entire  nation  was  made  by  the  adoption  of  the 
Constitution,  a  home  for  every  belief  possible  to  men. 


CHAPTER  1. 


MIDDLETOWN  AND  HOLMDEL  CHURCHES  1667-8 


Why  associate  these  Churches  as  one?  Because  the  body  now 
known  as  Middlctown  Church,  derives  its  name  from  the  village  in 
which  it  is.  But  Middlctown  Church  originally  included  a  vast  ter- 
ritory, while  the  present  Church  is  wholly  local.  Further,  nearly  all 
of  the  constituents  of  the  Church  settled  at  Baptisttown,  (Holmdel) — 
Stouts,  Holmes,  Bownes,  Grover,  Lawrence.  Ashton,  the  first  pastor, 
settled  West  of  Holmdel.  Coxes,  Cheesmans  and  Mounts  located  at 
Upper  Freehold,  making  Holmdel  the  center  of  the  Church.  The 
first  house  of  worship  and  parsonage  were  at  Holmdel,  where  the 
pastors  lived  until  1826.  The  second  house  of  worship  and  par- 
sonage were  also  built  there.  The  "yearly  meetings,"  originally 
held  between  Middlctown  and  Piscataway,  were  held  only  at  Holmdel 
and  Upper  Freehold;  never  at  Middletown  village,  it  being  distant 
from  Baptist  families.  At  Middletown  village  a  town  hall  was  built 
and  used  for  worship  until  1732,  when  Baptists  built  a  church  edifice. 
Rev.  John  Burrows  gave  a  lot  on  which  to  build  a  house  of  worship. 
Pastor  Ashton  was  the  first  Baptist  minister  in  New  Jersey  and 
preached  the  first  sermon  at  the  house  of  John  Stout,  Sr.,  near  Bap- 
tisttown (Holmdel).  His  wife,  Penelope  Stout,  was  buried  in  a  family 
cemetery  on  her  husband's  farm.     It  has  been  long  since  lost  in  a  field. 

The  absolute  oneness  of  these  churches  prior  to  1836  is  shown  in 
their  record.  That  at  Middletown  village  is  essentially  involved  in 
that  at  Holmdel.  Both  Cohansie  through  Obadiah  Holmes,  Jr.,  and 
first  Hopewell  through  John  Stout,  Jr.,  and  his  brother  James  originated 
in  Baptisttown  (Holmdel).  Middletown,  the  earliest  Baptist  church 
south  of  Rhode  Island  was  constituted  in  1667-8.  Some,  who  claitoed 
to  know,  insisted  that  in  1664-5  was  its  beginning.  Benedict  intimates 
its  organization  in  1667.  Morgan  Edwards  alluding  to  the  incorporation 
correspondence,  with  lower  Dublin  in  1688,  speaks  of  an  impression 
then  prevalent — that  "the  church  had  been  in  order  since  1667." 
The  supposition  of  its  origin  in  1688,  came  from  the  advice  of  the 
Middletown  Church  to  Middletown  in  1688,  "that  they  do  incorporate." 
The  church  was  not  incorporated  until  1793.  Pastor  Stout  investigated 
the  matter  in  1837,  and  was  then  told  by  very  old  people,  lineal  descend- 
ants of  constituents,  "that  after  settling.  Baptists  met,  had  preaching, 
observed  the  ordinances,  brought  up  their  children  in  the  faith"  and 


IG  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

in  the  worship  of  God  and  knew  from  tradition,  that  while  a  short  time 
elapsed  before  a  church  was  organized  the  church  had  been  in  regular 
order  if  not  before  1665,  soon  after.  Finally,  he  decided,  that  it  was 
safe  to  date  its  origin  as  early  as  1668.  Accordingly  in  1872,  Pastor 
Stout  changed  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  church  in  the  minutes 
of  the  Trenton  Association  from  1688  to  1668.  Before  making  the 
change  Mr.  Stout  conferred  with  pastors  of  branches  of  the  church, 
who  had  made  investigations  and  they  agreed  with  him  in  making 
the  change. 

Benedict  speaks  of  John  Browne  as  the  first  pastor  of  the  church. 
But  there  was  not  a  John  Browne  among  the  early  Baptists.  James 
Ashton,  a  constituent,  was  the  first  pastor.  It  is  significant  of  these 
Baptist  colonists,  that  they  included  an  ordained  Baptist  minister 
as  one  of  them.  Of  these  thirty-six  patentees,  eighteen  were  Baptists. 
The  wives  of  some  others  were  Baptists.  They  were  conscientious 
God-fearing  persons.  From  the  time  of  their  settlement  to  1668,  was 
almost  twenty-five  years.  Is  it  reasonable  that  such  people  fleeing 
from  persecution,  would  live  like  heathen,  all  of  these  years,  allowing 
their  children  to  grow  up  Godless,  having  included  a  Baptist  min- 
ister to  be  their  pastor  ?  Other  denominations  were  among  the 
colonists:  Episcopalians,  who  founded  a  church;  Presbj'terians,  who 
owned  the  only  cemetery  in  the  place,  in  which  Abel  Morgan  was  buried. 
These  were  people  of  "means"  and  of  social  position;  yet  Baptists 
absorbed  them,  and  their  ownership  of  lands  is  the  only  trace  of  them 
that  remains.  Would  it  have  been  so,  had  the  Baptists  left  the 
field  to  them  for  twenty-four  years?  What  and  where  would  these 
children  have  been?  Beside,  these  Baptists  planted  stations  afar  off 
and  nearby;  would  they  have  done  this  witliout  a  home  church?  One 
of  the  Holmes  family,  has  made  a  genealogical  record  of  the  family  and 
informs  the  writer  that  she  has  evidence  that  Obadiah  Holmes,  Sr.,  was 
present  at  the  organization  of  the  church  at  Middlctown.  He  died  in  1 682, 
six  years  before  1688.  His  sons,  Jonathan,  the  eldest,  and  Obadiah, 
the  youngest,  were  constituents  of  the  church.  Obadiah,  Jr.,  often 
visited  the  old  home  in  Rhode  Island,  returning  about  1683-5  to 
Holmdel,  he  moved  to  Cohansie,  Salem  county.  He  was  the  first 
Baptist  minister  there,  gathered  the  Baptists  in  meetings  and  really 
originated  the  Baptist  church.  His  being  a  constituent  in  Middletown 
in  1688  is  improbable,  being  in  Salem  county  and  a  Judge  of  the 
Courts  there.  Obadiah  Holmes,  Jr.,  for  his  birth  and  christening 
in  a  Congregational  church  in  Salem,  Mass.,  and  of  his  successful  labors 
in  Cohansie.*  Of  the  Holmes  family,  John,  the  second  son,  said  to  be 
*See  record  of  Cohansie  Church. 


MIDDLETOWN  AND  HOLMDEL  17 

the  first  Baptist  resident  in  Philadelphia,  going  there  in  1756  was  a 
man  of  wealth,  a  judge  in  the  city  courts.  Obadiah,  Jr.,  the  youngest, 
was  also  a  Judge  in  Salem  county  and  Jonathan,  of  Holmdel,  the  eldest 
son,  was  a  member  of  the  Governor's  Council  the  Colonial  Legisla- 
ture. Many  other  Baptists  in  New  Jersey  held  high  places  in  civil 
and  political  life,  illustrating  the  liberal  policy  of  the  Colonial  govern- 
ment and  the  competency  of  our  Baptist  ancestry  for  place  and 
eminence. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord  were  poor  and  ignor- 
ant men,  as  if  our  Lord  had  no  more  sense  than  to  belittle  himself  and 
his  cause  by  choosing  weakness  and  ignorance  to  influence  men  to 
righteousness,  rather  than  strength  and  intelligence.  Men  who  were  to 
associate  with  the  highest  culture  and  to  stand  before  kings.  A  like 
falsehood  is  said  of  Baptists,  who  laid  the  foundations  on  which  we 
buUd.  Our  Baptist  forefathers  were  the  foremost  men  of  their  times. 
Note  this  contrast:  A  majority  of  Baptists  founded  a  colony  in 
Monmouth  county.  Their  patent  had  this  pledge:  "Unto  any  and  all 
persons,  who  shall  plant  or  inhabit  any  of  the  lands  aforesaid;  they  shall 
have  free  liberty  of  conscience,  without  any  molestation  or  disturbance, 
whatsoever,  in  their  worship."     This  was  in  1664  or  5. 

Proprietors  for  a  Congregational  colony  got  a  charter  for  the  set- 
tlement of  Newark,  in  New  Jersey,  in  1666  and  provided:  "None 
should  be  admitted  freemen  or  free  Burgesses,  save  such  as  were  members 
of  one  or  other  of  the  Congregational  churches;  and  they  determined  as  a 
fundamental  agreement  and  order,  that  any  who  might  differ  in  religious 
opinion  from  them  and  who  would  not  keep  their  views  to  themselves 
should  be  compelled  to  leave  the  place."  Can  there  be  a  wider  contrast 
between  a  Baptist  and  a  Pedo  Baptist?  Mr.  Lawrence,  one  of  the  pat- 
entees of  Monmouth  county,  was  not  himself  a  Baptist  church  member, 
but  his  wife  was  a  Baptist.  This  gave  us  a  majority  of  the  patentees. 
Some  of  these  were  "Friends"  (Quakers)  locating  in  Shrewsbury.  They 
fully  agreed  in  this  guarantee.  The  names  of  the  eighteen  Baptists 
were,  excepting  Mr.  Lawrence: — Richard  Stout,  father;  John  or  Jona- 
than Stout,  son;  Jonathan  Holmes,  the  oldest,  brother  to  Obadiah 
Holmes,  Jr.,  the  youngest;  James  Grover,  father;  James  Grover,  Jr., 
son;  Jonathan  Bowne,  father;  John  Bowne,  son;  John  Cox;  Rev. 
James  Ashton,  John  Wilson,  John  Buchan,  Walter  Hall,  William 
Compton,  Thomas  Whitlock,  William  Lay  ton,  William  Cheeseman, 
George  Mount. 

Of  these,  the  youngest  Stout  emigrated  to  Hopewell  early  in  1700 
and  the  name  is  lost  from  Holmdel.  Rev.  D.  B.  Stout,  of  Middle- 
town  village  was  a  descendant  of  Richard  Stout.     The  descendants  of 


IS  NlOW  JMHSl'lY  BAI'TIS'l'  JIIS'IOIJV 

tlic  ilolincs  live  on  ilicir  ancestral  estate,  except  Oljidiali,  who  reniaiii- 
cd  in  Soi'.th  Jersey  in  th(^  vicinities  of  (Johansie.  The  Hownes  inter- 
married with  the  Crawfords  and  their  name  is  lost.  To  a  large  extent 
the  lands  of  these  adifiiiied.  The  Cheescmans,  Coxes  and  Mounts  s(!t- 
tlcd  at  Upper  Frceliold  and  .lacobstown.  Their  names  are  among  the 
constituents  of  Hightstown.  Upper  Freehold  was  an  original  Baptist 
community,  having  with  the  exception  of  Holmdel  anil  Cohansie,  the 
earliest  liaptist  house  of  worship  in  the  colony.  The  son  of  Hev.  James 
Ashton,  th(!  first  pastor  of  the  old  church  moved  to  Upper  Freehold 
in  an  early  day  and  dying  a  bachelor,  his  name  is  lost.  He  bequeathed 
property  to  the  church.  On  account  of  the  Brays  naming  their  set- 
tlement in  Hvmterdon  county  Baptisttown,  Holmdel,  was  adopted  for 
the  old  Baptisttown  as  a  memorial  nanic!. 

T\w  parsonage  being  at  Holmdel,  pastors  went  fn»ru  tiicre  to 
their  scattered  flock  and  grouping  them  into  mutuality,  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  many  fiaptist  cluirches.  From  the  first  these  liaptists  did  not 
limit  themselves.  Houses  of  worship  were  built  in  distant  parts  anrl 
periodic  appointments  were  made,  to  which  tlie  people  would  travel 
thirty  miles  on  foot  or  on  horseback  along  "bridle  paths"  taking 
their  children  with  them.  This  in  part  explains  why  long  sermons  came 
into  fashion.  Those  who  made  these  sacrifices  were  not  content  with 
a  "taste"  of  the  word,  nor  with  platitudes.  They  wanted  substance 
and  plenty  of  "sound  doctrine;"  something  to  think  of  for  a  month  or 
months  and  not  a  "milk  and  water"  diet.  Upper  Freehold  becaiiH-  the 
center,  whenc(>  Middletown  pastors  radiated  from  the  ocean  to  the  Dela- 
ware river  and  to  far  South  of  Trenton,  covering  a  vast  territory. 
There  is  scarcely  a  more  marked  instance!  of  the  mockery  of  a  name, 
than  that  which  gives  to  the  church  in  the  Middletown  village,  the 
memories,  constituency  and  work  of  the  original  Middletown  church. 
If  any  one  church  is  entitled  to  have  been  that  body  it  is  Holmdel. 
Middletown  vill.Mg(>  was  otic  of  i(s  lesser  centers.  I'p  (o  \KAV,,  n 
majority  of  Mic  i?a[)lisiiis  wen-  administered  at  Ibihndcl,  wlicre 
most  of  iho.  memlx-rs  could  be  present.  For  seventy  years,  the 
history  of  the  churcii  is  obscure  as  respects  its  pastors;  James  A.shton, 
John  Burrows,  John  Okison,  are  names  coming  to  us  by  their  con- 
nection with  important  events  in  its  history.  How  long  Mr.  Ashton 
was  pastor  is  not  known.  John  Burrows  was  pa.stor  about  eighteen 
years;  Mr.  Okison  followed.  Mr.  P^aglcsfield  came  next  and  died  in 
the  third  year  of  his  charge. 

The  following  scrap  was  given  to  the;  writer  before;  1850,  l)y  the 
Hev.  1).  B.  Stout,  pastor  at  Middletown:  "At  the  yearly  meeting, 
May  24th,  1712,  agreed  to  submit  to  (he  judgment  of  our  friends  come 


MIDDIJ'/I'OWN   AND  IIOLMDIIL  19 

from  I'liiladclpliia  ;m<l  wlicth.T  Ihr.  procccdiiijiis  MKainsl,  .loliii  Okisoii 
lijith  boon  regular,  acH-ordinj!;  to  tlic  iiicrils  of  tlu;  case,  or  not.  As  also  to 
give  their  opinion,  what  may  Ix;  propcsr  to  Ixs  doiu;,  ns  to  his  continuing 
to  teach.  If  they  find  the  proceedings  against  him  irregular  and  that, 
;iH  to  all  other  differences  which  rehit(!S  to  tiie  church,  shall  forever 
be  buried.  And  also,  what  shall  l)e  laid  Ixiforc^  them  and  determined 
by  them,  it  is  mutually  agreed  to  be  goveriKul  by." 

This  paper  indicates  in  part  the  trouble  of  1712  and  expresses  the 
spirit  of  the  church,  to  bury  forever  all  allusion  to  the  action  about  Mr. 
Okison.  The  Council  advised  the  church  to  bury  all  fornu^r  disputes 
anil  to  erase  all  record  of  them.  The  church  did  so.  'I'he  (iarly  leaves 
of  the  minute  book  were  torn  out  and  we  have  lost  the  early  records  of 
the  church. 

The  writer  has  another  paper,  taken  from  the  minutes  of  the 
Court.  An  index  of  the  times  and  of  the  laws  which  hindere<l  and  hurt 
Baptists: — "Court  of  Sessions  begun  and  held  at  Shr(!WHbury  for  tli<' 
county  of  Monmouth  on  the  third  Tuesday  in  September,  Anno 
Dom.  1707.  Whereas  Mr.  John  Bray,  minister  of  the  Baptists  of  the 
county  of  Monmouth  mad(!  application  to  the  ('ourt  of  Sessions,  held 
last  March,  that  he  might  be  [)ermitted  to  (|ualify  himself  as  the  law  di- 
rects in  the  behalf  and  the  Court  then  ordcsnsd  tin;  further  consid(!ration 
thereof  should  be  refernul  and  now  said  John  Bray  appearing  in  open 
sessions,  being  pnjsented  by  stjveral  of  said  congregation,  viz:  Lawrence, 
John  Garret  Wall,  Jacob  Troax,  Jr.,  James  Bolen,  in  behalf  of  themselves 
and  the  rest  of  their  brethren,  and  accordingly  the  said  John  Bray  had 
qualified  liimself  as  the  law  in  the  case  directs,  viz. :  he  did  take  the  oath 
made  in  a  statute,  made  in  the  first  year  of  their  Majesti(!S  reign,  entitl- 
ed an  act  for  removing  and  prev(;ntitig  all  disputes  concerning  the  as- 
sembly of  that  I'arliament  and  did  make  and  sul)scribe  th(i  declaration 
mentioiKHl  in  the  statute  made  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  the  reign  of  King 
Charles,  II,  entithid  an  act  to  prevent  Papists  from  sitting  in  either 
houses  of  Parliament  and  also  did  declare  his  approbation  of  and  did 
subscribe  the  articlc!s  of  religion  mentioned  in  the  statute  made  in  the 
thirtieth  year  of  the  reign  of  the  late  Queen  Elizabeth,  except  the  34,35, 
30  and  those  words  of  the  20th  article,  viz.:  the  church  hath  full  power 
to  decree  rites  and  ceremonies  and  authority  in  matters  of  faith  and  that 
part  of  the  27th  article  concerning  infant  baptism,  all  of  which  are  en- 
tered on  record.  According  to  the  direction  of  another  act  of  Parliament 
entitled,  an  act  for  exempting  her  Majesties  Protestant  subjects,  dis- 
senting from  the  church  of  iMiglaiid  from  the  penalty  of  certain  laws." 

This  extract  of  the  doings  of  the  court  indicates  that  in  the  colonies 
religion  was  legal  and  illegal.     Preachers  must  appear  in  Court  and  have, 


20  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

its  authority  to  exercise  their  office.  Quite  different  from  Baptist  ideas 
of  one's  liberties.  Another  question  is  settled,  as  to  when  John  Bray 
became  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  and  who  licensed  him.  Five  houses 
of  worship  were  built  within  the  bounds  of  the  old  church  up  to  1737, 
and  two  parsonages  at  Holmdel;  one,  a  house  of  worship  and  a 
parsonage,  soon  after  the  settlement.  It  fronted  on  the  road  from 
Holmdel  to  Colt's  Neck,  about  two  hundred  yards  distant  from  the 
parsonage,  built  in  1825.  The  third  was  built  by  John  Bray  in  1705, 
and  was  his  gift  with  five  acres  of  land  to  the  church.  Two  were 
built  in  Upper  Freehold,  "The  Yellow  Meeting  House"  and  another 
twelve  miles  distant  from  the  first:  The  fifth  in  Middletown  village 
in  1732.  Then  the  "Town  Hall"  that  had  been  a  place  of  worship 
for  Baptists  was  deserted.  These  were  maintained  as  Baptist  nuclei 
by  pastors  of  Middletown  church,  to  which  they  were  more  conven- 
iently located,  in  the  parsonages  at  Holmdel,  than  they  could  be 
elsewhere.  This  arrangement  continued  until  churches  were  organized 
in  these  distant  localities  and  till  Mr.  Bennett  settled  in  1792,  who 
lived  on  his  farm  in  Marlboro. 

Abel  Morgan  lived  on  his  farm  opposite  to  Red  Bank  and  Mr.  Ash- 
ton  on  his  farm,  near  Matawan.  Mr  Roberts  lived  in  the  parsonage  at 
Holmdel  till  1826  when  he  bought  a  farm  and  moved  on  it.  Abel 
Morgan  may  have  lived  in  the  first  parsonage.  Other  pastors  lived 
at  Holmdel,  the  center  of  the  church.  Instead  of  organizing  the  second 
Middletown  church  (now  Holmdel)  in  1836;  had  the  church  divided, 
Holmdel  would  have  retained  its  place  in  age  and  dignity.  Both 
of  these  bodies  are  designated  in  tlie  church  records  as  branches  of  the 
original  church.  That  at  Baptisttown,  known  as  the  "Upper  Meeting- 
house." and  the  congregation,  as  "The  Upper  Congregation;"  and  that 
of  Middletown  Village,  as  the  "Lower  Meeting-house,"  and  the  congre- 
gation, as  "The  Lower  Congregation."  These  congregations  were  ab- 
solutely one;  sharmg  equally  in  the  responsibilities  and  privileges  of  the 
Church.  At  Baptisttown  there  was  a  very  certain  proportion  of  social 
and  financial  strength,  as  well  as  of  spiritual  power.  Reference  to  .some 
of  these  men,  the  founders  of  our  religious  freedom,  is  necessary  to  the 
completeness  of  this  sketch. 

The  business  of  the  Church  seems  to  have  been  transacted  as  now 
in  country  Churches,  "at  the  meeting  before  communion,"  indiscrim- 
inately at  either  house. 

We  read  in  June,  1713,  "at  our  yearly  meeting  in  Middletown."  In 
August,  1732,  "appointed  a  quarterly  meeting  in  Middleto^vm."  Aug- 
ust, 1753,  the  entry  is  "Middletown,  at  the  Upper  Meeting-house;" 
and  in  the  next  month,  "at  the  above  said  meeting-house."     In  1736, 


MIDDLETOWN  AND  HOLMDEL  21 

probably  to  avoid  confusion,  it  was  decided  to  hold  a  "yearly  meeting 
for  business  in  the  old  Meeting-house,  near  John  Bray's." 

We  find  no  reference  to  a  change  of  this  order.  Yet  fifty  years 
later,  in  1788,  it  appears  that  a  change  had  been  made;  the  Commun- 
ion services  before  that  date  having  been  held  for  six  months  consecu- 
tively in  each  place. 

Then,  however,  it  was  ordered  "that  the  meetings  should  be  in 
rotation  in  their  seasons  at  each  meeting  house."  This  arrangement 
continued  until  the  division  of  the  church  in  1836. 

The  records  of  these  early  days,  now  exciting  a  smile  by  their 
quaintness  of  speech  or  style;  and  now,  as  the  tenderness  and  strength 
of  Christian  character  crops  out,  stirring  the  deepest  sensibilities  of  the 
soul,  indicate  the  type  of  men  and  women — their  stern  integrity,  their 
constancy,  their  conscientious  piety,  their  sense  of  propriety  and  fitness 
in  the  things  of  the  Lord's  house.  They  illumine  their  times,  agitated 
by  the  same  questions  and  matters  of  concernment  as  ripple  ours — 
handled,  however,  with  a  decision  and  positiveness  that  would  sadly 
hurt  the  "poor"  feelings  of  some  who  prate  much  of  "liberty." 

They  had  convictions  which  they  cared  to  maintain.  In  March, 
1787,  a  member  asked  a  letter  of  dismissal  to  join  a  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  the  record  adds  significantly,  "But  there  was  no  an- 
swer given." 

A  member,  in  1788,  became  a  "Universalist,"  and  it  was  ordered 
that  he  be  "ex-communicated  on  Sunday,  in  public  at  Bray's  meeting- 
house." It  is  recorded  in  1790,  that  a  brother  took  his  letter  from  Upper 
Freehold  and  joined  Middletown  church,  because  the  "former  totally 
omitted  the  laying  on  of  hands  after  baptism  and  before  receiving  into 
the  Church,  in  full  communion."  The  brethren  seem  to  have  held  them- 
selves in  pledge  for  one  another,  as  instanced  in  the  record  of  January, 
1787,  where  it  is  said:     "All  the  members  signed  a  letter  of  dismission." 

Care  for  the  decencies  of  the  Lord's  house  was  characteristic  of  the 
Church.  In  1780,  it  was  moved  "that  the  suit  of  clothing  belonging  to 
the  said  Church  for  the  use  of  the  minister  to  perform  the  ordinance  of 
Baptism  in,  was  almost  worn  out;  and  not  being  decent  for  said  purposes 
any  longer,  ordered  the  purchase  of  firsting  for  a  new  suit."  Cleanli- 
ness of  the  sanctuary  as  well  as  decency  in  the  official  apparel  of  the 
sanctuarj^  as  well  as  decency  in  the  official  apparel  of  the  minister  was 
provided  for;  and  the  duties  of  the  sexton  differed  somewhat  from  now. 
In  1792,  £1  12s.  was  paid  Deborah  Van  Cleaf,  for  taking  care  of  the 
house  and  sanding  the  same." 

The  pews  of  the  "Upper  House,"  at  least,  seem  by  the  authority  of 
Church  to  have  been  held  in  individual  right.     John  Stillwell,  the  Church 


22  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Clerk,  reported  to  the  Church  that  Hope  Burrows,  the  widow  and  ex- 
ecutrix of  John  Burrows,  deceased,  gave  him  their  pew  in  "The  Upper 
Meeting-house;"  whereupon,  the  "Church  agreed  that  he  have  the  same 
pew  under  the  said  gift,  with  doing  some  repairs  on  the  window  at  the 
end  of  said  seat." 

The  frequent  resignation  of  the  deacons  when  incapacitated  for 
active  duty,  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  they  esteemed  the  office  more 
one  of  work,  than  of  honor  and  for  life. 

In  1805,  the  use  of  their  meeting  houses  was  forbidden  "for  any 
minister." 

These  people  were  certainly  not  seriously  befogged  in  their  ideas 
of  church  duties;  rights  and  decencies;  nor  of  the  uses  of  the  office  in 
the  house  of  God;  nor  of  the  irresponsibility  for  the  doctrine  that  might 
be  preached  from  their  pulpits;  nor  of  the  limits  and  liberties  of  Chris- 
tian duty  and   privilege. 

This  entry  is  in  the  register:  "Dec,  1791,  Crawford's  Jack,  de- 
parted this  life."  That  no  contempt  of  Africa's  sons  is  designed,  an- 
other entry  in  1796,  by  the  same  hand  evidences:  "Died — Samuel,  a 
black  man,  an  example  of  real  piety.  He  hath  been  a  member  of  this 
church  for  near  forty  years,  without  ever  a  complaint  or  the  least 
accusation  again.st  him  from  any  person  in  the  smallest  degree."  A 
memorial  fitting  to  be  written  on  the  same  page  with  that  of  Abel 
Morgan,  found  in  the  same  book. 

Very  rarely  indeed  do  we  meet  such  histories  as  these. 

Under  date  of  October,  1785,  "agreed,  that  there  should  be  a  man 
hired  at  the  expense  of  said  Church  members,  for  one,  two  or  three 
months,  as  occasion  may  require,  for  the  benefit  and  service  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Abel  Morgan  in  his  infirm  and  low  state  of  body;  and  the  expense  of 
wages  for  the  hire  of  said  man  so  employed  shall  be  levied  on  each  mem- 
ber, according  to  their  estates." 

The  next  January  (1786)  Abel  Morgan,  their  late  pastor,  being 
dead,  the  following  minute  is  entered: — "Some  repairs  on  the  dwelling 
house  of  the  late  Abel  Morgan  not  yet  paid  for:  agreed,  that  each  member 
shall  be  assessed  according  to  their  estates  to  pay  the  said  costs."  A 
memorial  act,  both  of  the  Church  and  of  the  man,  grander  and  more 
enduring  than  granite  or  iron. 

Forty  years  later,  in  January,  1826,  an  act  of  justice  and  appre- 
ciation was  performed  to  their  living  pastor,  Thomas  Roberts,  quite  in 
harmony  with  that  done  in  behalf  of  their  dead  pastor.  The  sum  of 
$300,  besides  the  parsonage  and  his  fuel,  being  stated  as  the  salary 
pledged  to  Mr.  Roberts  for  the  year,  the  record  continues: — "Now  be 
it  known,  being  satisfied  that  the  money  subscribed  was  intended  by 


MIDDLETOWN  AND  HOLMDEL  23 

those  who  subscribed,  for  the  said  Thomas  Roberts,  and  there  being 
tile  past  year  paid  to  him  by  the  trustees  of  said  Church,  the  sum  of 
$355.69,  it  is,  therefore,  considered  as  his  do  (due)  for  his  service  for  the 
year  ending  January  1st,  1826."  A  like  appreciation  of  pastors,  and 
award  to  them  of  their  "do,"  would  diffuse  an  immense  enjoyment  in 
the  Zion  of  God,  and  bear  fruit  in  great  and  precious  blessings  upon 
her  borders. 

Of  the  residence  of  the  pastors  it  is  merely  a  supposition  that  Mr. 
Burrows  and  Abel  Morgan  occupied  for  a  while  the  first  parsonage  at 
the  "Upper  Meeting-house."  Samuel  Morgan  was  the  last  pastor  who 
resided  in  it.  Mr.  Hand  lived  in  the  Academy  in  Baptisttown,  and 
taught  the  school  there. 

Mr.  Elliot  was  the  first  occupant  of  the  new  parsonage,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1818.  The  church  of  which  Mr.  Elliot  had  been  pastor,  object- 
ed to  his  coming  to  Middletown,  that  he  would  have  to  live  "in  a  house 
with  mud  walls."  He  came,  however,  landing  at  Brown's  Point,  and 
he  made  his  home  with  Daniel  Ketchum,  near  Baptisttown,  until  the 
parsonage  was  made  habitable.  Mr.  King  also  lived  in  it.  Mr.  Roberts 
resided  in  it  until  1826,  when  having  bought  a  "place"  north  and  east 
of  the  village  of  Middletown  removed  there. 

A  striking  illustration  of  the  pastor's  personal  influence  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  his  residence,  and  the  bearing  of  his  location  upon  the  growth 
of  the  Church,  is  afforded  in  these  records. 

So  far  as  I  can  determine,  the  locality  of  those  who  were  added  to 
the  Church  under  Samuel  Morgan's  ministry,  excepting  the  additions 
from  Long  Branch,  a  large  proportion  were  in  the  vicinity  of  his  resi- 
dence. Of  the  nineteen  received  by  Mr.  Elliot,  fifteen  were  baptized  at 
the  "Upper  House."  Thirty  were  added  during  Mr.  King's  oversight 
of  whom  twenty-two  were  baptized  at  the  "Upper  House." 
The  growth  of  the  Church  within  the  limits  of  the  "Upper 
Congregation"  was  very  marked  down  to  1826,  when  Pastor 
Roberts  removed  to  his  own  home  in  "The  Lower  Congregation." 
The  increase  of  the  Church  during  the  last  ten  years  of  his  ministry  in 
the  communities  in  the  midst  of  which  he  lived,  manifests  the  power  of 
the  pastor's  personal  contact  with  the  people  about  him.  It  i  a 
significant  memorial  of  the  man,  and  satisfactory  explanation  of  the 
greater  numerical  strength  of  "The  Lower  Congregation,"  at  the 
division  of  the  Church. 

John  Bray  was  a  resident  and  property  owner  in  1688,  the  reputed 
year  of  the  organization  of  the  Church.  Mr.  Bray  came  from  England. 
One  of  his  descendants,  Richard  Bray,  has  a  deed  of  1688,  of  land  to  him, 
a  part  of  the  "Lawrence  tract."      He  (John  Bray)  bought  a  part  of  the 


24  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Holmes  tract,  lived  and  died  upon  it,  having  given  the  land  on  which 
the  Church  and  parsonage  are.  The  Church  minutes  speak  of  him  as  a 
"man  of  gifts."  He  was  a  preacher,  but  we  do  not  know  that  he  was  or- 
dained; evidently  an  earnest  man,  he  took  a  deep  and  active  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  Zion. 

To  him  we  are  indebted  for  the  property  in  Holmdel — parsonage, 
meeting-house  and  burial  grounds. 

The  grounds  at  Holmdel,  including  the  parsonage  and  house  of 
worship  and  burial  ground,  contain  four  and  one-third  acres,  and  were 
the  gift  of  John  Bray,  already  spoken  of.* 

Obadiah  Bowne  and  fJaret  Wall  in  a  deed  of  acknowledge- 
ment of  trust,  dated  December  18,  1705,  address  themselves  to  "all 
Christian  people,"  and  declare  "  'that  John  Bray  and  Susanna,  his  wife, 
on  December  14,  1705,  on  mere  special  trust  and  confidence,  for  the  onl}' 
use,  benefits  and  behoofs  of  the  society,  community  or  congregation 
called  Baptists,"  gave,  &c.,  describing  the  property;  and  further 
bind  themselves  to  convey  the  property  to  the  Church,  when  it  shall 
have  a  legal  existence.  Not  incorporated  until  December,  1793,  the 
title  was  thus  held  for  88  years.  The  original  deed  of  trust  is  now  in  the 
keeping  of  the  Trustees,  and  is  the  oldest  deed  held  by  any  Baptist 
Church  in  the  States.  This  land,  since  bought  from  the  Duke  of  York, 
has  been  owned  by  Baptists. 

A  house  of  wor.ship  and  parsonage  were  built  contemporaneously 
alongside  of  each  other  on  the  southwest  corner  of  this  property,  imme- 
diately adjoining  the  burial  grounds  of  the  Bray  family  and  of  the 
Church. t     By  whom,  and  when,  erected  the  Church  record  is  silent. 

The  buildings  were  put  up  prior  to  1705.  The  Baptist  families  in 
the  vicinity  probably  contributed  to  their  erection.  From  the  little 
known  of  John  Bray,  he  is  supposed  to  have  had  considerable  force  of 
character  as  well  as  to  have  been  large-hearted.  We  incline  to  the 
opinion  that  he  bore  the  brunt  of  the  cost  of  these  buildings;  from  the 
fact  that  the  Meeting-house  was  for  many  years  known  as  the  "Bray 
Meeting-house."     In  1735,  it  is  referred  to  in  the  Church  book  as  "The 

*Morgaii  Edwards,  in  his  "Materials  for  the  History  of  the  Baptist  Churches 
in  New  Jersey,"  states  "that  the  ground  was  partly  given  by  John  Bray  and  partly 
by  Obadiah  and  Jouiillian  Miihnes."  This  is  a  mistake.  Obadiah  and  Jonathan 
Holmes  did  not  come  inin  i.(.>.-i>>icin  of  their  father's  lands  until  after  his  decease 
in  1713,  eight  years  sub.-cqiHiit  to  the  date  of  the  deed  given  by  John  Bray.  Their 
father  may  have  added  to  the  Church  lot  and  probably  did. 

tAneestor  of  the  late  U.  S.  Senator  GaiTet  Wall,  of  New  Jersey.  Jarct,  the 
original  of  Garret. 

JThe  great-erandson,  of  Holmdel  Church,  tells  me  that  John  Bray  built  both 
chureli  and  i.iuscmage.  This  was  certainly  the  first  Baptist  parsonage  in  New 
Jersey,  and  I  feel  cjuile  sure,  the  first  meeting  house  built  by  Baptists  for  their  own 
use.  Tiaditiiiii  says  the  first  house  at  Middletown  was  built  for  town  purposes, 
and  the  Cliureh  used  it.    This  was  the  case  of  Piscataway. 


MIDDLETOWN  AND  HOLMDEL  IS 

Old  Meeting  -House  near  John  Bray's."  Some  who  worshipped  in  that 
built  at  Middletown,  have  left  word  that  they  "were  as  much  alike  as 
two  peas."  "The  Old  Bray  Meeting-house  was  probably  the  model  of 
the    other. 

At  a  Church  meeting,  September  18th,  1794,  Mr.  Bennet,  pastor, 
"A  subscription  was  ordered  for  a  new  meeting-house  on  Bray's  lot." 
No  further  mention  is  made  of  how  much,  or  by  whom,  or  by  what  means 
the  funds  were  secured  for  this  object.  Fifteen  years  elapsed,  years 
of  trials  and  of  constancy,  when,  October  29th,  1809,  having  worship- 
ped in  the  old  house  more  than  a  century,  the  minutes  read:  The  first 
Communion  Season  was  held  in  the  new  meeting-house  on  Bray's  lot." 
This  was  a  dedicatory  service.  Beside  the  pastor,  Mr.  Bennet,  Pastors 
Wilson,  of  Hightstown,  and  Boggs,  of  Hopewell,  and  Bishop,  of  "Upper 
Freehold"  were  present.  Mr.  Wilson,  who,  twenty-four  years  before 
had  preached  the  funeral  sermon  of  Abel  Morgan,  and,  two  days  after, 
the  ordination  sermon  of  Samuel  Morgan,  and  who  was  also  one  of  the 
two  ministers  at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Bennet,  preached  on  Lord's 
Day  morning,  from  Psalm  cxxxii:  15;  Mr.  Boggs,  in  the  afternoon,  from 
Exodus  XX :  24.  On  Monday,  Mr.  Wilson  and  Mr.  Boggs  each  preach- 
ed again.  The  house  was  thirty-six  feet  by  forty-five.  It  has  since 
undergone  enlargements  and  improvements.  Many  interesting  asso- 
ciations belong  to  the  old  sanctuary.  Here,  July,  1792,  the  Trustees 
were  in.structed  to  obtain  an  act  of  incorporation;  and,  at  the  same  meet- 
ing, Mr.  Bennet  was  called  to  ordination,  "as  a  transient  minister,"  not 
pastor,  as  is  graven  upon  his  tombstone.  Six  months  later  he  was  in- 
vested with  the  pastor's  office.  Mr.  Bennet  never  was  a  member  of  the 
Middletown  church. 

An  entry  in  July,  1816,  reads:  "Appointed  John  Beers  to  superin- 
tend the  building  of  a  house  on  the  meeting-house  lot  of  the  upper  house, 
commonly  called  the  Bray  Meeting-house,  of  the  size  of  twenty-five  feet 
square,  two  stories  high — no  ceiling  overhead  and  the  same  John  Beers 
to  proceed  in  the  business  so  far  as  the  money  raised  will  go."  The  same 
house  is  still  the  parsonage  of  the  Holmdel  Church-,  1886.  Like  the  house 
of  worship  by  which  it  stands,  it  has  been  improved  and  enlarged  at  vari- 
ous times;  but  we  know  not  at  what  expense  or  how  provided  for,  ex- 
cept that  in  1819,  the  Trustees  ordered  money  at  interest  to  be  called 
in  to  pay  the  balance  due  on  the  building.  A  room  was  prepared  in 
the  house  for  the  library  of  Abel  Morgan,  to  which  by  vote  of  the  Church, 
in  June,  1818,  it  was  ordered  to  be  removed. 

Elliot,  King,  Roberts,  Hires,  Nice,  Mulford  and  Wilson  have  succes- 
sively occupied  as  a  study  this  "prophet's  room  over  against  the  wall." 
Prior  to  the  separation  of  the  church  into  two  bands,  in  1836,  she  owned 


26  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

no  other  parsonage  Mr.  Bennet  alone,  of  all  the  pastors  since  1705,  is 
known  not  to  have  lived  in  either  the  first  or  second  parsonage.  A  wood 
lot  of  twenty-two  acres  was  bought  by  "The  Upper  Congregation,"  for 
uses  of  the  Church,  in  1825.  Thenceforth,  beside  his  salary  in  money, 
the  pastor  received  the  parsonage,  and  "his  fuel  carted  to  his  door." 
Up  to  the  present  settlement  this  has  continued  to  be  "the  portion"  of 
the  Holmdel  pastors.  When  "The  Upper  Congregation"  was  organized 
into  "The  Second  Middletown  Church,"  this  property,  really  theirs  by 
gift  and  purchase  of  themselves,  and  which,  for  so  man}'  generations, 
they  had  freely  given  for  the  use  of  the  whole  Church,  they  bought  for 
$550.00. 

"The  Upper  Congregation,"  thus  providing  the  parsonage,  a  house 
of  worship,  wood-lot,  and  incomes  which,  for  a  hundred  years,  made  it 
possible  to  obtain  and  support  with  ease  an  able  ministry,  none  would 
suppose  it  to  be  the  same  place  and  people  which  the  sketch  of  First 
Middletown,  in  1867,  refers  to,  in  the  statement  that  the  house  built 
on  Bray's  lot,  in  1808,  was  a  "preaching  station."  With  more 
propriety  was  the  village  of  Middletown  "a  preaching  station"  visited 
by  the  pastors  for  one  hundred  years,  on  alternate  Sabbaths. 

The  Church  was  equally  identified  with  both  places  in  every  par- 
ticular of  worship,  ordinances  and  business  meetings.  The  Middletown 
Church  was  not  that  body  which  met  in  the  village  of  Middleton,  but 
that  which  held  its  assemblies  in  the  township  from  which  it  was  named.* 

Of  the  pastors  who  have  died  within  the  bounds  of  the  Church,  two, 
Abel  Morgan,  and  Thomas  Roberts,  are  buried  at  Middletown.  Two, 
Samuel  Morgan  and  Benjamin  Bennet,  are  buried  at  Holmdel.  Sam- 
uel Morgan,  after  his  resignation,  lived  and  died  (1794)  about  a  mile 
from  the  "Upper  Meeting-house."       Mr.  Bennet  died  October  8th,  1840. 

It  has  been  said  that  this  is  a  mistake:  that  Holmdel  is  a  poetic 
name  given  at  a  town  meeting,  when  a  name  was  chosen  for  the  Post 
Office.  But  I  am  informed  by  the  oldest  residents  that  Holmdel  was  a 
familiar  and  popular  name,  used  interchangeably  with  Baptisttown 
long  before  that  meeting. 

Stout  tract  is  identified  as  part  of  the  Hendrickson  and  Longstreet 
farms,  near  Holmdel.  Penelope  Stout  is  believed  to  have  been  buried 
in  an  old  grave  yard  nearly  one  hundred  yards  south  of  the  residence  of 
the  late  John  S.  Hendrickson. 

*Middletown  was  probably  named  b)'  the  Holmes'.  They  had  come  from 
Middletown,  Rhode  Island,  where  the  homestead  farm  of  the  first  Obadiah  was, 
and  which  Jonathan,  his  son,  inherited  by  his  father's  will.  The  homestead  iu 
Khode  Island  has  only  very  lately  passed  out  of  the  family. 


MIDDLETOWN  AND  HOLMDEL  2? 

The  farm  on  which  tlie  venerable  James  Crawford  now  lives  was 
the  homestead  of  Ohadiah  Bonne,  passing  by  marriage  into  the  Craw- 
ford family. 

Ancestor  of  Deacon  G.  Mott,  First  C'hurch,  Trenton,  and  father 
of  Gen.  Mott,  of  Bordentown. 

A  minister  and  ancestor  of  Ashton,  the  first  Baptist  in  Upper 
Freehold. 

In  1713,  Rev.  John  Burrows,  of  Pennsylvania,  became  pastor,  ac- 
cepting the  advice  of  the  Council  of  the  former  year  and  signed  the  Keach 
"articles  of  faith  and  covenant."  Rev.  George  Eaglesfield  followed  in 
1731.  Allusion  is  made  to  his  death,  1733.  Five  years  later,  1738, 
Abel  Morgan  settled  as  pastor,  remaining  till  his  death,  November 
24th,  1785,  forty-seven  years.  He  was  abundant  in  labors;  traveling 
far  and  wide  and  devoted  himself  untiringly  to  the  great  field  under 
his  care. 

The  American  revolution  occurred  in  his  pastorate.  His  meeting- 
house was  used  by  the  English  for  barracks  or  for  a  hospital.  He  states 
in  his  diary:  While  the  house  of  worship  was  in  their  use,  "I  preached 
at  Middletown  in  mine  own  barn,  because  the  enemy  had  took  out  all 
the  seats  in  the  meeting-house."  "At  Middletown"  meant  on  his  farm 
opposite  Red  Bank,  the  river  being  the  boundary  between  Middletown 
and  Shrewsbury.  Mr.  Morgan  did  not  keep  account  of  the  number 
of  sennons  he  had  preached,  nor  a  record  of  how  many  he  had  baptized. 
His  diary  notes  more  than  forty  places  in  which  he  preached.  Mr. 
Morgan  bequeathed  his  library  of  three  hundred  volumes  to  the 
Church  for  the  use  of  his  successors.  The  big  volumes  were  printed 
in  Latin  and  his  marginal  notes  showed  that  the  books  had  been 
well  read.  His  manuscript  preparations  of  sermons,  each  numbered 
and  dated,  were  ten  thousand  were  also  given  to  the  Church.  By  its 
order,  a  room  was  prepared  in  the  parsonage  at  "The  Upper  Meet- 
ing-house" (Holmdel).  But  in  1837  Pastor  Stout  found  what  was 
left  of  them  in  the  garret  of  the  house  of  a  member  of  another 
denomination.  When  Pastor  Roberts  moved  from  the  parsonage  to 
his  farm,  the  volumes  were  taken  from  their  proper  place,  but 
whereto  is  not  known.  The  remains  of  the  library  are  now  in 
Peddie  Institute  library.  Some  of  the  books  are  very  old:  One, 
an  edition  of  Cicero's  works,  was  printed  in  1574;  John  Calvin's 
works,  were  printed  at  Geneva  in  1617.  On  a  flyleaf  in  Mr.  Morgan's 
writing  are  these  lines: 


28  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

"Prayer  contains  in  its  several  parts: 
"Call  upon  God,  and  love,  confess, 
'Petition,   plead   and   then   declare; 
'You  are  the  Lord's,  give  thanks  and  bless, 
"And  let  Amen,  confirm  ye  prayer." 

A  contemporary  styled  Abel  Morgan:  "The  incomparable  Abel 
xMorgan,"  as  the  Rev.  Mr.  Finley,  President  of  Princeton  College,  found 
out  to  his  sorrow.  Alike  as  missionary  and  workman,  his  wisdom  and 
piety  are  memorials  of  a  noble  life  and  of  noble  accomplishments  for 
God  and  humanity.  He  was  of  the  same  class  in  activity  as  Benjamin 
Miller,  Isaac  Stelle,  Peter  Wilson,  Robert  Kelsay  and  in  scholarship 
equal  ;o  any  one.  Providentially  contemporary  with  Abel  Morgan's 
settlement  in  1738,  at  Middletown,  was  the  death  of  Jonathan  Holmes, 
Jr.,  son  of  Jonathan  Holmes,  of  Middletown,  now  Holmdel,  a  grand- 
son of  Obadiah  Holmes,  of  precious  memory.  He  was  a  minister, 
whether  ordained  or  not  is  not  written.  Having  settled  his  affairs  and 
made  his  will,  he  visited  the  home  of  his  fathers  in  England,  in  1737. 
On  the  return  voyage,  he  died  at  sea,  1738.  He  bequeathed  £400  to 
the  Church,  a  great  sum  in  those  days.  Samuel  Holmes,  James  Tap- 
scott,  and  Jamas  Mott  were  his  executors.  The  carefulness  and  integ- 
rity of  these  men  and  of  their  successors  usually  acting  trustees  of  the 
Church  up  to  its  incorporation  as  is  shown  by  its  records,  is  the  highest 
memorial  of  their  Christian  character  and  commends  them  to  us  as  men 
whose  memory  is  worth  keeping. 

■It  was  loaned  to  Abel  Morgan  and  he  was  enabled  to  live  in  his  own 
house-  It  was  repaid  in  the  settlement  of  his  estate.  Samuel  Morgan 
had  the  use  of  it,  returning  it  when  he  resigned.  It  was  husbanded 
and  used  to  ensure  the  labors  of  Mr.  Bennett  for  twenty-two  years.  In 
1881,  it  was  diverted  from  the  support  of  the  pastor,  and  part  of  it 
appropriated  to  complete  the  parsonage  at  "The  Upper  Meeting 
House."  The  balance,  we  imagine,  was  invested  in  the  houses  of 
worship  now  in  use  in  Holmdel  and  in  the  village  of  Middletown. 
Let  the  memory  of  Jonathan  Holmes  and  John  Bray  be  cherished. 
Their  works  remain  a  blessing  to  the  generations  of  men. 

It  has  been  a  question  how,  through  the  fluctuations  and  poverty  of 
a  new  country,  the  wreck  of  all  financial  interests  in  the  Revolution, 
Middletown,  a  small  country  Church,  could  command  for  its  pulpit  and 
retain  in  long  pastorates,  the  best  gifts  of  the  denomination.  The  gift 
of  Church  properties  and  parsonage,  and  the  use  of  the  legacy  of  Jona- 
than Holmes,  Jr.,  solve  the  problem. 

Abel  Morgan  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew,  Samuel  Morgan.  De- 
spite the  calamities  under  which  the  country  was  suffering  at  the  close 


MIDDLETOWN  AND  HOLMDEL  29 

of  the  Revolution,  his  ministry  was  as  fruitful  as  was  anticipated  and 
for  diligence,  all  that  could  be  rightfully  asked.  He  kept  up  all  the  ap- 
pointments of  the  Church  and  sustained  its  usefulness  and  dignity  in 
the  six  years  of  his  service,  dying  in  1794,  two  years  after  his  re- 
signation. 

In  1792,  Mr.  Benjamin  Bennett  was  called  to  be  the  pastor  and  was 
ordained  as  a  "transient  minister."  He  was  a  good  preacher  and  an 
enterprising  farmer.  He  first  used  marl  as  a  fertilizer.  Limiting  him- 
self to  Holmdel  and  Middleto\VTi  village,  he  gave  up  the  out  stations. 
Had  he  followed  up  the  work  of  Abel  and  Samuel  Morgan,  we  would 
have  had  a  large  Church  at  Long  Branch.  There  were  many  Baptists 
there  and  in  other  places  within  his  reach.  He  had  the  opportunity  of 
his  life  for  God  and  humanity.  It  would  have  cost,  however,  self  deni- 
als. The  roads  were  "bridle  paths"  through  the  haunts  of  wild  beasts 
and  Indians.  A  settler's  home  might  not  be  seen  from  morning  to  night. 
The  loneliness  of  these  long  rides  and  the  liability  to  suffer  harm  far  from 
help,  gives  to  us  an  appreciation  of  the  men  and  of  their  services,  who 
laid  the  foundations  of  our  denominational  growth,  and  of  our  attain- 
ment, in  education,  numbers  and  social  place  equal  to  any  other  Chris- 
tian people.  About  1815,  Mr.  Bennett  dropped  into  politics,  was  elected 
to  Congress  and  that  closed  up  his  pastorate  and  his  preaching. 

During  an  intermission  in  the  pastorate,  Mr.  Hand,  a  licentiate, 
principal  of  the  Holmdel  Academy  "supplied"  the  Church  for  several 
years,  most  acceptably  until,  in  1818,  when  Mr.  Elliot  became  pastor. 
The  Church  of  which  Mr.  Elliot  was  pastor  when  called  to  Middletown, 
objected  to  his  going  to  Holmdel:  "That  he  would  have  to  live  in  a 
house  with  mud  walls,"  the  new  parsonage.  Mr.  Elliot  was  a  desirable 
pastor  to  the  people  with  whom  he  was.  They  believed  him  worthy  of 
the  best  things.  Mr.  Elliot  proved  to  be  an  efficient  pastor;  a  man  who 
could  see  and  value  a  good  thing.  He  found  at  Holmdel  a  Sunday- 
school,  which  Mrs.  A.  B.  Taylor  had  formed  in  her  own  house  in  1815. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Middletown  church  of  tlje  "Upper  Congrega- 
tion." Mr.  Elliot  at  once  started  a  Sunday-school  in  the  church  edifice 
at  Holmdel.  Fuller  account  of  Mrs.  Ann  B.  Taylor  and  her  work  in 
the  missions  and  Sunday-schools  will  be  found  in  chapters  on  Bible 
Schools  and  Missions. 

How  long  Mr.  Elliot  was  pastor  is  not  clear.  A  Mr.  King  followed 
him,  remaining  about  three  years  and  disappeared  mid  two  days; 
a  bad  man.  There  was  a  great  contrast  between  him  and  Rev. 
Thomas  Roberts  who  settled  in  1825  and  after  a  pastorate  of  twelve 
years,  resigned,  in  1837.  Mr.  Roberts  was  a  good  preacher,  as  well 
as  a  wise  man.     Several  of  his  sermons  were  demanded  for  publi- 


30  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

cation.     The  fruits  of  his  ministry  were  large  and  of  abiding  vahie. 

Increase  of  population  and  of  the  congregations,  and  the  demand 
for  more  ministerial  labor  in  the  bounds  of  the  Church,  had  prior  to 
1834,  led  to  the  inquiry:  How  to  meet  the  increasing  claims  of  the 
field?  A  separation  into  two  bands  was  an  unwelcome  subject.  The 
breaking  of  ties  that  had  been  entwining  for  fifty  years  was  to  some  un- 
endurable. The  fearful  saw  ruin  in  separation.  It  was  doubtful  to 
the  pastor  if  the  time  had  come  when  two  Churches  could  be  sustained 
and  occupy  the  field  as  well  as  the  undivided  body.  Discussion 
ripened  into  action  in  the  fall  of  1834,  when  an  invitation  was  sent  to 
Rev.  D.  B.  Stout,  settled  at  Lambertville,  to  visit  the  Church,  with  a 
view  of  becoming  joint  pastor  with  Mr.  Roberts.  He  came.  The  way 
was  not  yet  fully  prepared,  and  he  returned  home.  Early  in  1836,  the 
Church  sent  a  request  to  Rev.  Wm.  D.  Hires,  residing  at  South  Trenton, 
to  visit  them.  Having  done  so  in  due  time,  he  accepted  their  call  to  a 
joint  pastorate  with  Mr.  Roberts. 

After  six  months,  "The  Lower  Congregation"  worshiping 
in  "The  Lower  House,"  in  the  village  of  Middletown,  and  "The 
Upper  Congregation"  taking  the  title  of  "Second  Middletown," 
was  recognized  as  an  independent  Church,  September  1st,  1836, 
by  a  Council  consisting  of  Pastors  Roberts,  and  Hires,  of  Middle- 
town;  C.  J.  Hopkins,  of  Freehold,  and  J.  M.  Challis,  of  Upper 
Freehold. 

Mr.  Roberts  remained  with  "The  Lower  Congregation,"  in  the 
midst  of  which  he  lived.  Mr.  Hires  retained  the  oversight  of  "The  Up- 
per," amid  which  he  resided,  receiving  the  same  salary  as  had  been  paid 
by  the  whole  body  to  Mr.  Roberts. 

Mr.  Roberts  had  left  the  parsonage  open  for  Mr.  Hires;  this,  prob- 
ably, decided  the  location  of  the  pastors.  Mr.  Roberts,  knowing  whence 
the  support  of  the  pastor  came,  gave  another  instance  of  self  denial 
and  real  piety.  Had  the  old  Church  divided,  the  historical  truth  of 
Middletown  Church  ^ould  have  been  preserved  in  its  true  relationship 
and  the  names  of  the  constituency  of  Middletown  would  not  have 
been  found  outside  of  itself,  mainly  in  Holmdel  and  Upper  Freehold 
and  in  Hopewell. 

Upon  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Roberts,  "The  Lower  Congregation" 
called  Rev.  D.  B.  Stout  and  he  began  his  charge  in  1837.  Mr.  Stout  had 
already  been  impressed  with  antinomian  ideas,  but  new  relations  modi- 
fied his  views,  being  a  man  open  to  convictions.  These  came  to  him 
through  Rev.  F.  Ketchum,  an  eminent  evangelist  of  his  times,  through 
whose  co-operative  labors.  Pastor  Stout  baptized  in  one  year  two 
hundred  and  thirty-six.     Mr.  Stout  was  a  loveable  man,  unassuming, 


MIDDLETOWN   AND  HOLMDEL  31 

genial,  amialilc  and  a  preacher  of  righteousness.  Not.  having  had 
scholastic  training,  he  did  not  make  any  pretense  to  it.  His  in- 
fluence was  wholesome,  having  what  is  better  than  brains  or  education, 
"good  sound  common  sense."  Being  human,  he  had  faults  and  made 
mistakes.  Mr.  Stout  was  born  at  Hopewell  in  1810,  a  place  identified 
with  the  names  of  Eaton,  Manning,  Gano,  and  Hezekiah  Smith.  Pas- 
tor Stout  was  a  descendant  of  Richard  Stout.  In  a  ministry  of  forty- 
three  years,  he  had  two  settlements:  Lambertville,  of  which  liis 
father  was  a  deacon  and  for  years  its  only  male  member;  where  Mr. 
Stout  had  lived  from  early  youth,  been  baptized,  licensed,  ordained  as 
pastor,  which  he  was  for  five  years.  Thence  going  to  Middletown, 
where  he  was  pastor  thirty-eight  years  till  his  death  on  May  17th, 
1875.  He  was  a  constituent  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Conven- 
tion and  a  member  of  its  Board  from  its  origin,  till  he  died  forty-five 
years,  a  longer  time  than  any  other  had  been.  Four  Churches  were  col- 
onised from  Middletown  where  he  was  pastor.  He  was  buried  in  the 
church  yard,  where  Mr.  Roberts  had  been  and  to  which  Abel  Morgan's 
remains  were  removed  in  1888.  His  successors  have  been  E.  J.  Foote, 
1876-82;  the  first  pastor  who  lived  in  Middletown  village,  a  new  parson- 
age being  built  there  in  1876;  Rev.  F.  A.  Douglass,  1883-6;  Rev.  E.  E. 
Jones,    1887-92. 

Under  Mr.  Jones,  sheds  were  provided  for  the  beasts,  which  brought 
the  people  to  the  house  of  God  and  he  also  had  a  baptistry  put  in  the 
house  of  worship  and  for  the  first  time  in  more  than  two  hundred  years 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  was  administered  in  the  village.  In  1893, 
Rev.  W.  H.  J.  Parker  became  pastor  and  ministered  ten  years  to  the 
Church,  till  1904. 

"The  Upper  Congregation"  had  a  large  place  in  Baptist  beginnings 
in  New  Jersey.  The  first  Baptist  Sunday-school  in  the  State  was  begun 
there  and  all  missionary  societies  and  nearly  all  the  contributions  abroad 
came  from  that  quarter.  "The  Lower  Congregation"  was  solicited 
from  there.  The  writer  has  the  original  subscription  books  and  Sunday- 
school  reports  given  to  him  by  Mrs.  Ann  B.  Tajdor  in  her  eightieth 
year  for  safe  keeping.  They  will  be  given  to  her  grandson,  Prof.  B. 
Taylor,  of  Crozer  Seminary.  Mrs.  Taylor  said  to  the  writer:  the  lady 
solicitor  would  walk  from  their  homes  nine  to  twelve  miles  to  "The 
Lower  Congregation"  to  collect  funds  for  the  use  of  the  society.  The 
spirit  of  missions  imbued  "The  Upper  Congregation."  One  woman, 
Mrs.  Ann  B.  Taylor,  must  be  referred  to  as  especially  devoted  to  these 
causes.  They  appointed  a  committee  in  1787  to  collect  moneys  to  aid 
"the  Church  on  Staten  Island  in  building  a  meeting-house.  Twenty- 
seven  years  prior  to  the  I  irth  of  the  Home  Mission  Society,  funds  were 


32  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

collected  for  'Home  Missions  and  Education.'  "  A  female  benevolent 
society,  formed  in  1825,  in  "The  Upper  Congregation."  collected  moneys 
for  the  destitute  from  its  origin  till  it  ceased  to  be,  in  184.5.  Through 
it,  the  convention  has  received  funds  from  its  beginning,  six  years  be- 
fore it  resolved  itself  into  the  Second  Middletown  Church.  It  appro- 
priated $5.00  to  the  "Young  Men's  Education  Society"  in  New  Jersey, 
before  the  "New  Jersey  Baptist  Education  Society"  was  formed. 

Foreign  Missions  were  also  annually  contributed  to  for  many  years 
prior  to  the  separation  of  the  Church  in  1836.  Each  year  since  the 
Church  has  contributed  to  the  State  Convention.  The  first  gift  was 
twenty  dollars,  and  never  after  less.  Without  exception,  it  has  also 
given  annually  to  Foreign  Missions,  beginning  with  five  dollars  and 
increasing  to  nearly  three  hundred  dollars  in  one  year.  Since  18-15,  it 
has  an  unbroken  annual  credit  for  Home  Missions  and  Bible  purposes. 
Feeble  Churches  have  ever  shared  in  its  sympathies.  From  the 
first,  the  school  at  Hightstown  has  had  a  large  place  in  the  heart 
of  the  Church,  to  which  it  has  given  many  thousands  of  dollars. 

Mrs.  Taylor  organized  and  maintained  a  Woman's  Mission  Society 
to  buy  books  for  the  Sunday-schools,  to  clothe  needy  children  of  de- 
pendent parents.  The  society  sent  money  to  India,  through  the  Eng- 
lish Baptist  Mission  Society  before  1800.  After  Mr.  Elliot  resigned, 
living  on  her  farm  two  miles  from  Holmdel,  she  walked  to  the  meeting- 
house, superintended  the  Sunday-school  there,  returned  home  to  take 
charge  of  the  Sunday-school  at  home.  Some  facts  illustrate  the  char- 
acter of  Mrs.  Taylor:  She  always  paid  her  pew  rent  a  year  in  advance, 
saying,  "She  might  die  at  any  time  and  she  wanted  to  be  sure  that  her 
pew  rent  was  paid  the  year  in  which  she  died."  She  died  in  1879, 
eighty-three  years  old.  Times  were  set  for  benevolent  collections  on  the 
Lord's  day.  If  the  collection  on  such  a  day  was  delayed,  Mrs,  Taylor 
always  made  her  way  to  the  pastor:  "To-day  was  the  time  for  such  a 
collection;  you  have  not  forgotten  it?  No?  Well,  don't!"  Clusters 
of  members  lived  at  several  localities  and  had  unique  ways  of  getting  to 
the  house  of  prayer.  The  women  had  a  custom  of  ride  and  walk.  A 
mother  and  daughter,  two  sisters,  or  neighbors,  would  arrange  for  one 
to  ride  on  a  horse  to  a  given  place  and  there  hitch  the  horse  and  walk 
on  to  another  set  place  and  wait.  The  other  having  walked  to  the 
horse,  from  thence  rode  on  to  the  one  waiting  and  thus  on,  it  might 
be  to  the  house  of  worship,  distant  from  their  home,  perhaps,  ten  or 
more  miles.  A  key  to  this  consciousness  of  the  blessedness  of  divine 
truth,  was  the  preaching. 

The  preacher  had  much  to  say  of  the  grace  of  God,  of  a  free  and 
undeserved  salvation;  of  being  "kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith 


MIDDLETOVVN  AND  HOLMDEL  33 

unto  salvation."  The  "meat"  in  the  sermon  was  nourishing,  or,  if  it 
lacked  the  pith  of  "Divine  Sovereignty,"  it  was  emptiness  to  one  who 
who  had  walked  two  days,  or  had  journeyed,  "ride  and  walk,"  for 
twenty  miles  to  reach  the  house  of  God.  The  experience  of  these 
disciples  was,  as  in  the  early  ages,  the  Bible,  universally  essential  to 
an  uplift  of  person  and  nation. 

Tlie  Rev.  Mr.  Roberts  was  an  earnest  and  staunch  temperance  man 
and  "The  Upper  Congregation"  was  in  hearty  sympathy  with  him. 
The  earliest  remembered  public  discussion  of  temperance  in  "The  Upper 
Congregation,"  was  a  sermon  by  Pastor  Roberts,  about  1834,  from  the 
text:  "I  speak  as  unto  wise  men,  judge  ye  what  I  say."  The  discourse 
made  a  deep  impression  upon  the  community;  many  accepted  the  doc- 
trine of  total  abstinence,  some  of  whom  now  living,  1881,  refer  to  it 
as  the  means  of  their  giving  up  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks  as  a 
beverage.  A  positive  temperance  sentiment  was  at  this  time  devel- 
oped, which,  nurtured  by  Pastor  Hires,  ripened  into  Church  action  in 
1839,  when  "Total  abstinence  from  intoxicating  drinks  as  a  beverage 
was  declared  to  be  a  Christian  duty." 

Why  did  not  Pastor  Roberts  preach  a  like  sermon  in  the  "Lower 
Congregation?"  Had  he  done  so,  it  would  have  destroyed  the  influence 
for  good  on  the  very  lines  on  which  he  hoped  to  secure  reform.  "The 
Lower  Congregation"  was  allied  with  the  political  influences  of  the  day 
and  less  responsive  to  the  then  called  "radical  temperance  movement. 
Later  both  the  Navesink  and  the  New  Monmouth  churches  were  com- 
posed of  a  temperance  element,  not  at  home  in  the  mother  church  and 
on  this  account  under  the  influence  of  Mr.  Roberts  and  Mr.  W.  V.  Wil- 
son went  out."  "The  Upper  and  "The  Lower  Congregations"  were 
extremely  unlike  and  this  may  have  reconciled  them  to  the  division  in 
1836  and  hurried  Pastor  Roberts'  resignation  the  next  year.  The  un- 
likeness  of  these  branches  of  the  same  Church  was  partly  due  to  the 
dignity  of  ancestral  names  in  the  "Upper  Congregation"  and  to  the  ac- 
cumulation of  wealth  by  succeeding  generations.  It  is  a  surprise  that 
the  division  had  not  occurred  when  Abel  Morgan  became  pastor  in  1738. 

Pastor  Hires  resigned  in  1846,  having  been  pastor  of  the  Second 
Middletown  Church  ten  years.  There  is  not  a  known  reason  for 
his  sudden  and  unexpected  resignation.  His  charge  was  a  continuous 
success.  He  was  a  rare  preacher  for  conciseness  and  strength.  Few 
equalled  him  in  his  capacity  to  inspire  people  and  to  train  them  for  use- 
fulness. His  going  away  was  a  great  loss  to  the  Church.  The  "bent" 
he  gave  to  it  for  temperance,  missions  and  education  is  still  manifest. 
He  grounded  his  people  in  fundamental  truth.  God  a  sovereign;  man  a 
sinner  and  lost;  Christ  the  only  Saviour;  men  saved  to  glorify  God  and 


34  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

to  be  co-workers  with  and  for  him.  Mr.  Gobel,  the  anti-nomian  once 
invaded  his  fold.     His  coming  and  his  flight  were  contemporary. 

Rev.  Wilham  J.  Nice  followed  Mr.  Hires  in  1848,  remaining  three 
years  and  as  much  to  the  surprise  and  regret  of  the  Church  he  gave  up 
his  charge,  as  had  Mr.  Hires,  and  left  at  once.  It  is  believed  that  the 
same  cause  led  Mr.  Nice  to  resign  as  had  influenced  Mr.  Hires  to  leave. 
Mr.  Nice  was  one  of  the  most  modest  and  lovely  of  men.  He  was 
intensely  conscientious  and  wholly  devoted  to  his  Master,  a  choice 
spirit  and  one  to  be  leaned  upon.  Rev.  C.  W.  Mulford  was  pastor 
for  two  years,  but  his  impaired  health  compelled  him  to  close 
his  labors. 

One  of  the  choicest  of  men,  Rev.  C.  E.  Wilson,  became  pastor  and 
for  nearly  sixteen  years  ministered  to  the  Church.  Universally  beloved 
the  good  man  laid  down  and  died.  While  pastor,  the  house  of  worship 
was  enlarged  to  double  its  former  capacity.  Large  congregations  wait- 
ed on  the  labors  of  this  true  man  of  God  and  he  had  a  remarkably 
successful  pastorate. 

After  Mr.  Wilson,  came  Rev.  T.  S.  Griffiths,  settling  in  April  1870- 
The  following  extract  at  the  end  of  ten  years,  instances  some  results 
of  the  ten  years'  work:  The  financial  and  benevolent  departments 
of  the  Church  have  very  marked  characteristics.  A  debt  that  had  ac- 
cumulated in  1870  to  $4,000  has  been  paid;  also  repairs,  since  then, 
costing  $1,400.  The  annual  home  expenditures  of  the  last  ten  years  has 
been  nearly  double  that  of  former  years,  averaging  $2,120  each  year, 
and  aggregating  $21,200.00  The  annual  average  benevolence  of  the 
Church  for  the  first  thirty-three  years  of  its  existence  was  $205.62, 
and  for  the  whole  period  $6785.56.  In  the  last  ten  years,  the 
benevolence  of  the  Church  has  aggregated  $12,241.95,  an  annual 
average  of  $1,224.19.  The  whole  amount  paid  for  home  and  foreign 
interests  since  1870  has  been  $33,441.95,  an  annual  average  of 
$3,344.10.     Mr.   Griffiths  removed  in  September,  1881. 

Rev.  W.  W.  Case  settled  in  December  next,  1881.  While  Mr  Case 
was  pastor,  a  new  parsonage  was  built,  but  there  was  not,  as  in  the  old 
one,  a  room  reserved  for  Abel  Morgan's  library;  also  a  chapel  was  built 
for  social  and  Sunday-school  uses.  The  Church  edifice  was  remodeled 
within  and  without  at  a  cost  of  many  thousands  of  dollars.  The  house 
of  worship  will  accommodate  about  half  as  many  as  it  did  before  the 
alterations  were  made  in  1887-1894. 

Holmdel  is  a  rural  settlement  and  has  neither  factories  nor 
railroad  connections;  withal  the  country  is  filling  up  with  foreign- 
ers,  whose   "faith"    and   associations   are   alien   to   the   old   settlers. 


MIDDLETOWN  AND  HOLMDEL  35 

Endowments,  however,  by  some  of  the  old  families,  descendants 
of  the  original  constituents  relieved  anxiety  for  its  future  support. 
Mr"  Case's  charge  continued  nearly  twelve  years. 

In  189-4,  Rev.  R.  B.  Fisher  became  pastor  and  is  now  (1904)  pastor. 
There  has  not  been  need  of  improvement  in  the  properties  of  the  Church 
since  Mr.  Case  resigned.  Several  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach. 
The  Church  claims  in  part  the  maternity  of  Churches.  Cohansie  and 
Hopewell  went  out  of  "The  Upper  Congregation." 

Not  many  Churches  are  paralleled  with  the  old  Church  in  the  number 
of  its  off-shoots.  Through  Obadiah  Holmes,  Jr.,  a  constituent,  Cohan- 
sie and  its  outgrowth;  through  Jonathan  Stout,  another  constituent, 
First  Hopewell,  Hunterdon,  Warren  and  Sussex  counties  were  planted 
with  Baptist  Churches.  Hightstown  also  and  Upper  Freehold  have 
multiplied  many  fold.  So  that  as  many  as  one  hundred  and  seven 
Baptist  Churches  have  sprung  from  this  oldest  Baptist  Church  South  of 
Rhode  Island.  Mr.  Hires  had  regular  appointments  at  Keyport,  Mata- 
wan  and  Marlboro.  The  constituency  of  Red  Bank  also  was  increased 
fi'om  Holmdel.  Under  Pastor  Griffiths,  both  Marlboro  and  Eatontown 
were  each  saved  from  extinction. 

Other  influences  for  good  have  gone  out  to  New  York  State,  and  to 
the  far  South  from  the  venerable  Church.  The  first  Baptist  school  in 
America,  was  at  Hopewell,  where  her  sons  and  those  of  other  Churches 
were  educated  for  the  ministry.  James  Manning,  John  Gano,  Hezekiah 
Smith,  the  Suttons  and  many  others  for  eminent  places  in  judicial  and 
political  life  must  be  included  as  one  gift  of  the  old  Church  to  Baptists 
and  to  the  world. 

Holmdel,  hedged  in  by  seven  Baptist  Churches,  only  one  of 
which  is  nine  miles  distant,  its  field  is  limited,  but  it  had  a  distinctive 
constituency  and  their  descendants  are  as  characteristic  as  was  their 
ancestry.  Allusion  to  the  Holmes  family  has  been  already  made;  an- 
other family  by  the  name  of  Longstreet  gave  strength  to  the  Church. 
The  mother,  Mary  Holmes,  was  a  near  descendant  of  Obadiah  Holmes, 
Sr.  She  left  a  legacy  to  "Peddie  Institute."  Each  of  her  children  liv- 
ing at  home  did  the  same.  Some  of  them  endowed  the  Holmdel  Church. 
Jonathan  and  Mary,  Jr.,  built  and  endowed  the  Longstreet  library 
building  at  Peddie  Institute.  The  Holmdel  Baptists  were  an  influen- 
tial people,  having  the  endowments  of  heart,  character  and  wealth. 
Pastor  Hires  at  Holmdel  after  the  division  of  the  Church,  received  the 
same  salary  as  the  whole  Church  had  given  to  Mr.  Roberts.  Many 
Anglo-African's  lived  there  and  they  included  some  of  the  nobility 
of  the  earth.  They  would  come  to  the  parsonage  on  Monday 
morning    and    say:       "I    hear    that    a    collection    for    missions    wag 


36  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

taken  yesterday.  I  could  not  be  there;  here  is  what  I  would 
have  given  if  present,  add  it  to  the  other." 

A  family  of  Ely's  located  at  Holmdel  at  an  early  day.  The  father, 
though  of  an  opposite  political  party  to  a  majority  of  thousands  in  the 
county,  was  elected  to  the  most  important  office  in  the  county  on  ac- 
count of  his  personal  worth.  Removing  to  Holmdel,  leaving  his  eldest 
son  on  the  homestead  farm,  who  under  the  same  conditions  as  his  father 
was  also  elected  to  the  same  office  and  for  the  same  reason,  his  pre- 
eminent worth  as  a  citizen  and  a  man.  Of  six  sons  four  were  deacons: 
One  at  Freehold,  three  at  Holmdel  and  also  the  husband  of  an  only 
daughter.  The  mother  of  these  sons  was  a  remarkable  woman.  Henry, 
a  son,  told  to  his  pastor  this  incident  of  his  childhood:  On  Lord's 
day  morning  his  mother  said  to  him:  "Go  and  get  ready  for  Church." 
He  replied:  "I  can't  go  to  Church  to-day."  "AVhy  not?"  "My  shoes 
are  worn  out."  "Why  did  you  not  tell  me  that  yesterday?  Now,  you 
shall  go  to  Church  bare  foot."  He  did.  And  he  said  to  his  pastor: 
"Ever  afterwards  mother  knew  of  worn  out  shoes  and  anything  else 
needful  to  wear  to  Church."  Such  a  woman  was  of  the  same  type 
as  Mrs.  Taylor.     Mrs.  Taylor's  only  son  was  a  deacon. 

Said  a  neighbor  to  whom  religion  was  an  offense,  to  the  same  pastor: 
"If  I  had  a  million  of  dollars  I  would  put  it  in  William  Ely's  hands  to 
keep  for  me  nor  ask  for  a  "note"  or  a  scrap  of  acknowledgment  from 
him;  sure  that  when  I  wanted  it  I  would  get  it."  Henry  could  not  be 
drafted  in  the  Civil  War  because  of  the  loss  of  an  eye.  He  said  to  his 
pastor:  "Then,  I  employed  a  "substitute"  for  six  hundred  dollars 
for  a  year.  At  its  end,  he  said  to  himself:  'I  can  spare  six  hun- 
dred dollars  for  my  country,  why  can  I  not  spare  that  extra  each 
year  for  Christ?  I  can  and  will'  "  And  he  was  a  plain  farmer.  He  did 
this  till  he  died.  His  benevolent  gifts  were  quite  a  thousand  dollars 
each  year.  His  death  was  glorious.  O,  for  a  vast  increase  of  such  moth- 
ers and  such  sons.  Middletown  Church  has  been  the  mother  of  more 
than  one  hundred  Churches  not  only  in  New  Jersey,  but  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, New  York  and  in  the  South. 


CHAPTER  II. 


COHANSIE,  1690,  SALEM  IN  1755. 


Cohansie  is  the  name  of  a  river  that  designates  its  vicinity.  When, 
in  1683,  the  first  Baptists  came  from  Clouketin,  Tipperay  county,  Ire- 
land, they  settled  on  the  South  side  of  the  river  and  built  a  meeting  house 
on  the  farm  of  David  Thomas  (a  Welsh  name).  The  names  of  these 
Baptists  were :  David  Sheppard,  Thomas  Sheppard  and  John  Sheppard 
(brothers) ;  Morgan  Edwards  also  mentions  Thomas  Abbot  and  William 
Button.  About  1700,  they  moved  to  the  North  side  of  the  river  and 
built  a  house  of  worship,  about  2  miles  south  of  RhoadstowTi.  Morgan 
Edwards  states  part  of  the  lot  was  a  gift  of  Roger  Maul  and  the  "deed," 
dated  December  28th,  1713,  and  part  the  gift  of  Nathan  Sheppard,  his 
"deed"  is  dated  February  6th,  1779.  Morgan  Edwards  further  says: 
"\  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1741,  on  the  site  of  the  old  house." 

The  Dutch  West  India  Company  was  an  enterprising  corporation. 
In  1621,  Captain  May  sailed  into  the  Delaware  bay  with  emigrants, 
Quakers,  Swedes  and  Hollanders,  these  landed  at  various  points  on  both 
sides  of  the  river.  Mixtures  of  population  from  different  nations  of 
Europe  were  peculiar  to  the  Middle  Eastern  States.  New  England 
and  Virginia  alone  having  positive  relation  to  English  population. 
Irish  Baptists  had  no  more  liberty  than  in  England,  Scotland  or  on 
the  continent.  Wherever  they  appeared,  their  presence  was  a  reason 
for  their  persecution,  whether  by  Protestants  or  Roman  Catholics. 
Kingcraft  and  hierarchies  hated  democracy  and  the  integrity  of  the 
men  and  women  who  maintained  their  convictions  and  won  for 
humanity  the  right  to  think  and  to  do  what  was  right,  out  of  these 
will  be  recogrtized  as  having  accomplished  more  for  human  welfare 
and  for  the  independency  of  mankind,  than  all  or  any  other 
humanitarian  movement  in  the  world.  It  will  be  known  that  the 
Divine  Christ  was  essentially  interwoven  in  their  thought  and  purpose 
of  living.  Their  persecutions  will  be  seen  to  be  the  scaffolding  by  which 
they  have  lifted  the  rights  of  men  to  the  topmost  place  in  government, 
and  by  which  they  have  climbed  to  the  endearment  of  the  Divine  love. 
Our  bread  had  been  an  aversion,  but  for  the  "little  leaven"  of  which  it 
gave  no  sign.  The  hewed  waters,  leaking  from  the  cracks  of  rocks,  waste 
away,  yet  they  index  the  ores  hidden  from  sight.  Thus  character  that 
modifies  nations  is  life  or  death  to  humanity.     Are  a  record  names  of 


S8  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

constituents  of  churches,  .'ind  some  scarcely  note,  that  such  a  record 
memoralizes  a  birth  hour  of  unspeakable  interests. 

The  early  records  of  Cohansie  church  are  lost,  but  wc  are  indebted 
to  the  researches  of  Morgan  Edward  and  of  Robert  Kelsay  to  fill 
the  gap.  Obadiah  Holmes,  Jr.,  the  youngest  son  of  Obadiah  Holmes, 
Sr.,  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  martyr  with  another  Baptist,  visited 
Cohansie  in  1683-5.  He  was  now  about  forty  years  old,  having 
been  born  in  Salem,  Mass.,  in  1644.  His  father  was  a  member  of 
the  Congregational  Church  there  and  its  record  states:  Obadiah 
Holmes,  Jr.,  was  christened  (sprinkled)  on  Jime  9th,  1644.  Mr. 
Holmes,  Jr.,  was  only  licensed.  He  gathered  the  Baptists  together, 
maintained  meetings  and  souls  w^ere  converted.  Inasmuch,  as  he 
had  been  appointed  a  Judge  of  the  Courts  he  may  have  lived  in 
Salem.  He  sent  for  Rev.  Elias  Keach,  of  Penepack,  Pa.,  in  1688,  to 
baptise  the  converts.  He  came  and  baptized  three  men.  This 
good  news  went  to  Holmdel.  "The  yearly  meetings  between  Middle- 
town  and  Piscataway  were  in  progress  and  Mr.  Killingsworth,  of  Piscat- 
away  visited  Cohansie.  Other  Baptists  moved  there:  One,  John 
Holmes,  the  second  son  of  Obadiah,  Sr.,  and  brother  to  Obadiah, 
Jr.,  John  Holmes  had  been  a  Judge  in  the  Philadelphia  Courts.  He 
settled  at  Alloway  and  Baptists  increased  to  nine  men.  Of  these  the 
Cohansie  Church  was  constituted."  Middletown,  Piscataway  and  Co- 
hansie are  the  sole  Baptist  Churches  formed  in  New  Jersey  in  which  only 
men  are  named  as  constituents. 

Rev.  Thomas  Killingsworth  became  pastor  of  Cohansie  at  its  organ- 
ization. His  coming  was  providential.  He  was  pastor  nineteen  years 
and  was  beloved  by  his  people  and  the  community.  He  was  a  mission- 
ary pastor  going  far  and  wide,  gathering  Baptists  into  the  several 
centers  as  at  Salem.  Succeeding  pastors  continued  on  these  lines. 
Especially  Mr.  Jenkins,  until  about  two  years  before  his  death  in  1754 
at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  In  the  meantime,  a  meeting  house 
had  been  built  at  Mill  Hollow,  two  miles  from  Salem  towards  Alloway, 
to  where  Judge  Holmes  had  moved  from  Philadelphia.  A  church  at 
Alloway  was  formed  in  1741.  The  Mill  Hollow  house  was  in  part  to 
accommodate  this  Church.  Later  the  Alloway  Church  disbanded.  As 
Mr.  Jenkins  lost  his  health,  Mr.  Job  Sheppard  and  Robert  Kelsay  licen- 
tiates of  Cohansie,  looked  after  the  out  stations.  Mr.  Sheppard  having 
moved  to  Alloway  took  care  of  that  section.  Mr.  Kelsay,  living  at 
Pittsgrove,  cared  for  that  region.  Rev.  R.  Kelsay  later  pastor  at 
Cohansie,  gathered  data  of  the  early  history  of  the  Church  and  put  it 
in  shape  for  our  information.  While,  as  already  indicated,  Obadiah 
Holmes,  Jr.,  was  the  first  Baptist  minister  hereabouts  and  a  Judge 


COHANSIE  AND  SALEM  '  39 

in  the  Courts,  he  kept  up  his  ministerial  labors,  for  the  coming  pastor. 
Mr.  Killingsworth's  arrival  was  providential.  He  died  while  pastor 
in  1708.  His  was  the  work  of  a  missionary  pastor,  going  far  and 
wide  gathering  Baptists  into  centers,  as  at  Salem. 

It  is  not  a  surprise  that  Baptists  were  chosen  Judges,  since  a  large 
majority  of  the  residents  of  Salem  county  were  "Friends"  (Quakers). 
Between  them  and  Baptists  was  a  kindly  feeling,  acquired  in  their 
sufferings  to  keep  an  open  Bible,  a  free  conscience  and  equality  before 
the  law.  The  "Friends"  knew  that  they  were  safe  with  Baptist 
Judges. 

In  1710,  Rev  Timothy  Brooks  accepted  the  pastorate.  Morgan 
Edwards  gives  the  history  of  this  arrangement  as  written  by  Pastor 
Kelsay:  "In  1710,  Rev.  Timothy  Brooks  and  his  followers  xmited  with 
this  Church.  They  had  come  from  Ma.ssachusetts  about  1687  and  for 
twenty-three  years  kept  a  separate  society  on  account  of  difference  of 
opinion  touching  predestination,  singing  psalms,  laying  on  of  hands,  etc. 
Rev.  V.  Whitman,  of  Groton,  Conn.,  effected  the  union.  Its  terms 
were:  Bearance  and  Forbearance."  Pastor  Brooks,  Mr.  Kelsay  writes 
was  not  eminent  for  parts  or  learning,  yet  was  a  useful  preacher;  meek 
in  his  carriage;  of  a  sweet  and  loving  temper  and  always  open  to  con- 
viction and  made  the  Welsh  mini.sters  labor  to  instruct  him  in  the  "ways 
of  the  Lord  more  perfectly."  Mr.  Brooks  died  in  1716,  having  won  the 
love  of  both  flocks,  who  were  heartily  united  in  him. 

During  nearly  five  years  "supplies"  preached.  In  1721 ,  Mr.  William 
Butcher  was  ordained  for  the  pastorate.  Death  limited  his  service  to 
about  three  years.  He  died  in  December,  1724,  at  the  age  of  twenty-six 
years.  He  was  a  "good  minister  of  the  Gospel."  For  the  next  six  years 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Jenkins,  pastor  of  first  Cape  May  church,  preached  once 
a  month  at  Cohansie.  Resigning  at  Cape  May,  in  1730,  he  became 
pastor  at  Cohansie.  Mr.  Jenkins  was  an  eminent  man  and  commanded  a 
high  place  in  both  ministerial  and  governmental  life.  He  had  a  gift  of 
"bringing  things  to  pass,"  as  many  Welsh  men  do  by  their  forceful  en- 
ergy. The  Church  grew  along  all  lines.  Preaching  stations  were  plant- 
ed at  Salem,  Dividing  Creek,  Pittsgrove,  Alloway  and  Great  Eggharbor. 
A  new  Church  edifice  was  built.  Job  Sheppard,  the  first  pastor  at  Salem, 
Robert  Kelsay,  the  first  pastor  at  Pittsgrove,  and  afterwards  pastor  at 
Cohansie  for  thirty  three  years,  succeeded  Mr.  Jenkins.  Each  were 
licensed  to  preach  at  Cohansie.  Mr.  Jenkins  served  the  Church  till 
1754,  when  he  died.  Few  ministers  in  New  Jersey  accomplished  more 
for  God  and  humanity,  both  in  the  Legislature  and  in  the  ministry, 
than  Pastor  Jenkins.  In  his  last  illness,  he  advised  the  members  to 
choose  Mr.  Kelsay  to  follow  him,  and  after  Mr.  Jenkins  died  they  did  so 


40  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

immediately.  But  Mr.  Kolsay  objected  to  leaving  Pittsgrove.  He  also 
thought  that  his  friend,  Mr.  J0I3  Sheppard,  was  the  right  one  to  follow 
Mr.  Jenkins.  It  was  interesting  to  note  the  contention  of  Mr.  Sheppard 
and  Mr.  Kelsay  as  to  which  one  of  them  should  take  the  mother  Church. 
Each  wanted  the  other  to  enter  this  foremost  place. 

There  was  a  Providence,  however,  which  over-ruled  the  matter. 
Mr.  Sheppard  had  become  pastor  at  Salem  and  was  wanted  there.  Mr. 
Kelsay's  home  in  Pittsgrove  had  been  burned  up.  Then  Cohansie  re- 
newed the  call  with  emphasis  and  Mr.  Kelsay  consented  and  began  his 
charge  in  May,  1756.  He  was  a  native  of  Ireland  and  came  to  Cohansie 
in  1738,  was  baptized  in  1741,  licensed  in  1743,  settled  at  Pittsgrove,  a 
branch  of  Cohansie,  preached  there  twelve  years  and  was  ordained  in 
1750.  A  contemporary  said  of  him:  "As  a  man  and  companion,  he 
was  amusing  and  instructive.  As  a  Christian  he  was  exemplary  and 
animated;  as  a  preacher,  he  was  ferv'ent  and  truly  orthodox.  Warmly 
engaged  was  he  in  the  service  of  the  saiictuary,  to  which  he  repaired 
without  interruption  till  a  few  days  previous  to  his  death."  Mr.  Kelsay 
had  the  genial  qualities  of  the  Irish,  to  which  was  added  fervent  piety 
and  great  earnestness  in  his  ministry.  He  was  a  man  of  order  and  set 
himself  to  make  up  deficiencies.  A  later  pastor  says  of  him:  "the 
early  records  of  the  Church  being  lost,  the  first  register  of  which  we  have 
any  knowledge  was  commenced  by  him  in  1757.  It  is  a  large  folio  bound 
in  parchment  and  contains  the  earliest  statistics  extant.  Everything 
pertaining  to  the  general  record  of  the  Church  was  kept  with 
scrupulous  exactness." 

With  respect  to  the  results  of  his  ministry,  the  Church  has  great 
reason  for  devout  thankfulness.  The  membership  in  the  first  decade 
increased  from  one  hundred  and  six  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-one, 
despite  deaths,  removals  and  a  colony  to  form  Dividing  Creek 
Church  in  1761.  In  the  second  decade,  although  the  membership 
had  decreased,  another  colony  formed  the  Pittsgrove  Church.  A 
third  decade  included  the  Revolutionary  War.  Every  hallowed 
influence  was  over  borne  by  the  desolation  of  homes  and  lands.  The 
colony  being  a  highway  of  the  contending  armies  and  the  harbors 
being  a  refuge  of  English  fleets,  its  seacoast  and  rivers  were  patrolled 
by  warships  to  destroy  the  commerce.  Special  seasons  of  grace 
wereenjoyed,  however,  in  1781  and  1782,  in  which  sixty-eight  disciples 
were  baptized.  A  memorial  of  Mr.  Kelsay  is  found  in  the  minutes  of  the 
Philadelphia  Association.  He  preached  at  its  session  in  1788  to 
young  ministers  from  Acts  8:  35.  He  advised  them:  I.  To  study 
with  earnest  prayer  as  if  it  all  depended  upon  their  own  endeavors;  but  in 
preaching  to  depend  on  Divine  assistance  as  though  they  had  not  studied 


COHANSIE  AND  SALEM  41 

at  all.  II.  To  be  concise  in  preaching  and  to  conclude  when  done, 
III.  To  pray  for  a  blessing  immediately  after  preaching."  Good  ad- 
vise to  preachers  young  or  old.  Especially  these  days  when  so  much 
emphasis  is  laid  upon  an  educated  ministry.  Mr.  Kelsay  was  seventy- 
seven  years  old  when  he  preached  the  sermon  spoken  of.  Next  year  on 
May  30th,  1789,  he  died,  having  been  pastor  of  Cohansie  Church  thirty- 
three  years  and,  if  Pitt.?grove  is  included,  spent  his  whole  ministry,  forty- 
five  years  among  his  own  people. 

The  same  Providence  that  hitherto  had  directed  this  people  in  the 
choice  of  a  pastor  for  them,  influenced  them  to  call  Henry  Smalley,  of 
Piscataway,  who  entered  on  his  work  on  July  3,  1790,  and  was  ordained 
the  next  November.  Mr.  Smalley  had  but  lately  graduated  from  col- 
lege. From  the  first,  a  uniform  and  continuous  prosperitj'  attended  the 
pastoral  charge  of  Mr.  Smalley.  There  was  also  an  intelligent  and  re- 
sponsive spirit  of  enterprise  in  the  Church.  A  new  house  of  worship 
in  a  more  central  location  was  needed.  The  site  on  which  the  Church 
edifice  now  stands  was  bought  in  1799  and  the  house  of  worship  now  in 
use  was  dedicated  in  1802.  Internal  changes  and  adaption  to  modern 
ideas  have  been  made.  But  the  substantial  structure,  its  neat  and 
fitting  architectural  proportions  signify  intelligence  in  its  original  plan- 
ning and  a  staunch  and  cultured  piety  that  preferred  the  larger  cost  to 
the  inferior  and  its  economical  tendencies.  Various  Christian  activities 
indicated  the  accord  of  pastor  and  people  in  all  movements  for  the  ex- 
tension of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  When  the  New  Jersey  association  was 
formed  in  1811,  a  Baptist  mission  society  for  State  missions  was  estab- 
lished.      In  1812,  its  income  was  $195.73,  of  this  Cohansie  gave  $87.22. 

On  the  eve  of  the  War  of  1812,  a  Church  edifice  in  Bridgeton  was 
proposed,  which  was  completed  in  1817.  This  house  in  size  and  style 
was  befitting  a  town  developing  into  a  city  and  a  Church,  whose  age  and 
social  standing  and  pastoral  strength  gave  it  a  fore-most  place  in  that 
section.  Pastor  Smalley  preached  in  this  house  on  each  Lord's  day, 
laying  the  foundations  of  the  First  Church  of  Bridgeton.  At  the  organ- 
ization of  that  Church  this  property  was  given  to  them.  Pastor  Smalley 
in  1838  was  seventy-three  years  old  and  being  consulted  on  the  subject 
he  consented  to  an  assistant  pastor.  The  pastor's  choice  for  the  man 
was  approved. 

About  this  time,  the  Church  built  a  meeting  house  at  Greenwich, 
an  out-station.  This  house  was  not  completed  until  in  a  later  pastorate. 
Mr.  Smalley's  work  on  earth  was  shortening  and  on  February  11th,  1839, 
it  pleased  God  to  call  him  up  higher,  in  the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his 
age.  Having  been  pastor  at  Cohansie  almost  forty-nine  years.  The 
second  longest  Baptist  pastorate  in  New  Jersey.     Two  colonies  to  or- 


42  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

c;anizo  Churches  left  Cohansie  dnrinjr  Mr.  Smalley's  pastorate,  one  at 
liridgeton,  in  1828;  another  to  unite  with  members  of  Salem  Church, 
to  form  a  Church  at  Canton.  Under  Mr.  Smalley ,  five  hundred  were  bap- 
tized. He  also  was  the  sixth  and  the  last  of  the  old  pastors  to  close  his 
pastorate  at  death.  There  were  but  three  years  in  his  long  charge  in 
which  there  were  no  baptisms.  It  is  wonderful  that  six  pastors  succeed- 
ing each  other  had  each  long  pastorates  and  enjoyed  continuous 
growth  and  prosperity. 

A  change  began  with  the  settlement  of  Rev.  I.  Moore,  in  July,  1840. 
Since  then,  the  Church  has  had  thirteen  pastors,  in  sixty  years:  One 
remaining  eleven  years;  one,  ten  years;  one  eight  years;  one,  five  years; 
the  other  eight  averaging  more  than  two  years  each. 

Mr.  Moore  differed  widely  in  his  doctrinal  views  from  his  prede- 
cessors and  preached  his  convictions.  Former  pastors  were  decidedly 
Calvinistic  in  their  ministry,  developing  motives  for  Christian  activities 
from  the  Divine  sovereignity  building  up  a  high-toned  piety  that  busied 
heart,  hand  and  foot  for  the  Divine  glory.  Mr.  Moore  dwelt  upon  the 
virtues  of  well-doing  and  on  the  testimony  not  of  the  "witnessing  spirit," 
but  of  conduct.  This  nutriment  was  not  palatable  and  trouble  ensued: 
Councils  were  called  and  the  pillars  of  the  Church,  including  much  of 
its  wealth,  intelligence  and  spiritual  activity  were  dismis.sed;  the  social 
and  the  benevolent  interests  were  dried  up;  congregations  maimed  and 
wailing,  supplanted  rejoicing.  Mr.  Moore  was  a  good  man,  but  failed  to 
understand  the  situation.  His  change  from  a  diet  of  "faith  and  works" 
to  one  of  works  was  a  treatment  whereby  the  "patient"  grew  worse  in- 
stead of  better.  Had  he  waited  and  been  less  vigorous  in  discussion, 
he  might  have  prevailed  with  the  Church.  In  about  three  years,  he 
resigned.  The  writer  was  familiar  with  the  causes  of  the  unpleasant- 
ness. Really,  it  was  a  happening  in  which  both  parties  misunderstood 
each  other  and  pushing  with  their  horns,  hurt  each  other.  Mr.  Moore 
was  proven  in  that  he  had  the  good  sense  and  piety  to  retire,  rather 
than  stay  and  blight  the  heritage  of  God.  He  settled  at  First  Cape  May 
and  did  good  and  when  he  resigned,  after  a  pastorate  of  many  years, 
that  Church  recalled  him  and  his  second  pastorate  was  as  long  as  his  first. 

Rev.  E.  D.  Fendal  became  Pastor  of  Cohansie  Church  in  April, 
1843.  His  stay  was  about  three  years,  to  September,  1846.  He  had  a 
useful  pa.storate.  Large  accessions  by  baptism  and  the  membership 
larger  than  it  had  ever  been  before.  The  house  of  worship  at  Greenwich, 
projected  at  the  end  of  Pastor  Smalley's  term,  was  built  and  is  occupied 
by  the  Greenwich  Church  organized  in  1850. 

Rev.  J.  G.  Culhmi  followed  Mr.  Fendal  and  settled  as  pastor  in 
November,  1846,  remaining  to  the  end  of  July,  1850.     While  pastor,  a 


CX)HANSIE  AND  SALEM  43 

colony  was  dismissed  to  constitute  tlio  Greenwich  Church.  Also,  steps 
were  taken  to  huild  a  parsonage  at  Roadstown  and  funds  were  pledged 
to  remodel  the  interior  of  the  meeting  house.  A  succes.sor  to  Mr. 
Cullum  was  secured  in  Rev.  J.  N.  Folwell,  who  became  pastor  in 
October,  1850,  and  was  ordained  in  the  next  month  (November).  Mr. 
Folwell's  labors  were  shortened  by  illness  and  this  "earnest  effective" 
pastor  was  constrained  to  give  up  his  charge  in  February,  1852. 

In  April,  1852,  Rev.  J.  M.  Challis  entered  the  pastorate.  His  pas- 
toral charges  were  always  and  everywhere  a  success.  He  was  pastor 
eight  years  and  supplied  the  Church  until  his  successor  arrived.  Rev.  T. 
G.  Wright,  on  May  1st,  18G0.  Mr.  Wright  was  pastor  longer  than  any 
other  since  the  death  of  Mr.  Smalley — eleven  years.  A  lot  for  parsonage 
was  given  by  Benjamin  Mulford  in  August,  1861,  and  in  the  next  March 
the  pastor  occupied  it.  The  house  of  worship  was  enlarged  and  re- 
novated in  18G4.  Large  contributions  were  made  to  several  Baptist  ed- 
ucational institutions  from  1865-1868.  Pastor  Wright  was  followed  in 
August,  1871,  by  Rev.  T.  O.  Lincoln,  who  closed  his  ministry  at  Cohansie 
in  April,  1874.  In  that  year  Rev.  W.  F.  Basten  settled  as  pastor  and 
after  ten  years  resigned  in  1884.  A  call  was  given  to  Rev.  W.  W.  Pratt, 
which  accepting  began  his  oversight  January  1st,  1885,  and  ended  his 
pastoral  care  in  March,  1888.  Benevolences  and  Christian  activities 
developed  in  the  years  of  this  pastorate.  On  the  next  June,  Rev.  H. 
Tratt  accepted  the  call  to  be  pastor  and,  after  about  three  years,  resigned 
in  1890. 

A  few  months  elapsed  when  Rev.  E.  S.  Fitz  became  pastor,  in  May 
1891.  After  two  or  three  years  of  prosperity,  evil  reports  effected  his 
morality.  A  Council  was  called,  the  findings  of  which  although  "ex- 
parte"  and  repudiated  by  the  Church,  condemned  Mr.  Fitz.  At  the 
session  of  the  Association  in  1894,  "the  hand  of  fellowship  was  with- 
drawn from  the  Church  so  long  as  they  retained  their  present  pastor; 
regarding  him  unworthy  of  Christian  fellowship."  This  was  a  sorrowful 
act;  circumstances  justified  the  action.  A  creditable  feature  of  the  sad 
affair  was  the  devotion  of  the  venerable  Church,  sustaining  the  honor 
of  their  pastor,  fully  convinced  that  he  had  been  wronged  and  accepting 
with  him  the  condemnation  he  had  incurred.  This  ostracism  lasted  two 
years.  Mr.  Fitz  was  excluded  when  the  Church  was  satisfied  of  the 
truth  of  the  evil  reports  about  him  and  in  1897,  the  Church  reported  its 
self  and  its  action  to  the  association  and  had  a  warm  welcome  back. 

Rev.  T.  C.  Russell  entered  the  pastorate  three  months  after  Mr. 
Fitz  left,  in  May,  1896.  The  new  pastor  had  an  unenviable  place  and 
the  supposable  reason  for  his  course  was  a  hope  of  recovering  the  Church 
to  itself  and  of  averting  the  wreck  that  threatened.        A  noble  motive, 


44  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

with  which  he  allied  himself  to  the  great  army  of  martyrs.  The  sympa- 
thy of  the  neighboring  pastors  and  Churches  was  with  him  in  his  great 
work.  His  memory  will  always  be  precious  to  the  living  and  eternity 
only  can  show  the  results  of  his  work  and  worth.  The  wisdom  of  Mr. 
Russell,  was  shown  by  his  resignation.  Alienation  and  opprobrium 
attached  to  him  among  the  members  of  the  Church  by  the  course 
he  had  taken,  but  he  wisely  resigned  and  left  the  door  open  for  another 
in  whom  there  could  be  unity. 

Thus  in  April,  1898,  Rev.  J.  S.  Teasdale  accepted  the  pastorate  and 
is  now  (1900)  serving  the  Church.  The  old  time  unity  and  activity  is 
renewed.  The  Church  from  the  beginning  has  been  characterized  by 
a  comprehension  of  its  mission  to  bless  the  world.  The  early  pastors 
were  missionary  pastors,  having  stations  far  off,  involving  long  journeys 
and  perils  and  laying  foundations  for  Churches.  There  is  some  uncer- 
tainty as  to  the  number  of  meeting  houses,  which  the  Church  has  built 
in  part  or  in  whole,  probably  ten.  The  first  four  long  before  1742.  In 
1799,  the  site  of  the  house  now  in  use  at  Roadstown  was  bought  and  the 
house  built  there.  Two  parsonages  were  lived  in  by  pastors:  One  before 
1862,  the  other  in  1876.  It  is  not  certainly  known  how  many  have  been 
licensed  to  preach.  But  of  those  known,  two  pastors  have  each  been 
represented  in  the  ministry  by  a  son,  and  one,  Mr.  Kelsay,  by  a  son  and 
grandson.  Cohansie  has  a  large  lineage  of  Churches.  They  may  be 
counted  by  scores.  These  old  Churches  had  the  continent  before  them 
and  they  appreciated  their  opportunity  and  entered  in  to  possess  it.  To 
us  of  the  twentieth  century  is  offered  not  a  continent,  but  the  world 
through  the  agency  of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  and  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society. 

Salem,  the  county  seat  of  Salem  county  is  among  the  oldest  set- 
tlements in  New  Jersey.  In  1641,  English  colonists  from  Connecticut 
settled  at  Salemtown  .  About  this  time,  the  Swedes  bought  of  the  In- 
dians, the  district  from  Cape  May  to  Racon  Creek.  The  Swedes  yielded 
to  the  Dutch  and  the  Dutch  yielded  to  the  English.  The  "Friends" 
(Quaker.s)  flocked  to  New  Jersey  and  were  a  controlling  element  in  West 
Jer-sey,  assuring  to  the  people  free  speech,  free  conscience  and  equality 
in  the  Courts. 

In  1683,  Obadiah  Holmes,  Jr.,  youngest  son  of  Obadiah  Holmes, 
the  Massachustets  martyr,  came  to  Salem.  He  was  a  licensed  Baptist 
preacher,  and  being  appointed  a  Judge  in  the  county  Courts,  he  may 
have  lived  at  Salem.  Soon  after  coming  he  gathered  together  Baptists, 
set  up  Baptist  meetings  and  did  the  work  of  an  evangelist.  Cohansie 
Baptist  Church  owes  its  origin  to  him,  being  the  first  Baptist  minister 
in  these  parts. 


COHANSIE  AND  SALEM  45 

The  Cohansie  Church  was  located  on  the  Cohansie  river.  Very 
soon  after  its  organization  its  pastors  began  missionary  work  and  Salem 
was  one  of  the  first  localities  of  its  missions.  If  Mr.  Holmes  lived  in 
Salem,  the  beginning  of  Salem  Church  must  have  been  contemporary 
with  Cohansie  Church.  Rev.  Killingsworth  removed  to  Cohansie  and 
became  its  pastor  in  1690.  Later,  Judge  John  Holmes,  second  son  of 
Obadiah  Holmes.  Sr.,  and  brother  to  Obadiah  Holmes,  Jr.,  removed  to 
Salem  county,  settling  near  Alloway.  Pastor  Killingsworth  and  Oba- 
diah, Jr.,  were  Judges  in  the  Court  and  Baptists  had  two  of  their  number 
Judges  in  Salem  county.  Baptists  were  in  Salem  and  in  Alloway, 
which  led  in  1741-3  to  the  building  of  a  Baptist  house  of  worship  at  Mill 
Hollow,  two  miles  from  Salem  toward  Alloway,  and  the  two  congrega- 
tions worshiped  in  it.  A  few  years  after,  Mr.  Sheppard,  a  licentiate 
of  Cohansie,  moved  to  Alloway  and  supplied  that  branch.  A  Church 
had  been  constituted  at  Alloway,  in  1741.  The  pastors  of  Cohansie 
kept  on  in  the  missionary  work  of  Mr.  Killingsworth.  As  Pastor  Jen- 
kins declined  in  health  the  two  years  before  he  died  in  1754,  Messrs. 
Sheppard  and  Kelsay  maintained  the  out-stations,  each  in  their  respect- 
ive localities — Alloway  and  Pittsgrove.  Nineteen  Bapti.sts  were  on 
May  17th,  1755,  recognized  as  the  "Anti-Poedo  Baptist  Church  of  Salem 
and  Alloway  Creek."  Another  name:  "The  Anti-Poedo  Baptist 
Society  meeting  in  the  Town  of  Salem,"  was  adopted  in  June,  1786, 
the  Church  having  decided  to  build  a  meeting  house  in  Salem.  Services 
continued,  however,  in  the  Mill  Hollow  house  until  1790.  By  special 
legislative  act  the  name  was  again  changed  in  1860  to  the  "First  Baptist 
Church  of  Salem." 

Job  Sheppard  descended  from  David  Sheppard,  who  came  from 
Ireland  in  1683,  was  a  constituent  of  Cohansie  in  1690.  Job  Sheppard 
was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Salem  and  Alloway  Church,  1755-56.  He 
died  March  2nd,  1757,  only  fifty  years  old.  His  chief  work  was  done  be- 
fore his  ordination,  preaching  in  Salem,  Alloway  and  other  stations. 
He  was  a  man  of  rare  worth,  unenvious  and  without  a  taint  of  jealousy 
of  another's  influence  or  position.  Messrs.  Kelsay  and  Sheppard  had 
been  licensed  at  the  same  time,  when  Mr.  Jenkins  died,  each  was  anxious 
that  the  other  should  succeed  to  the  eminence  of  pastor  at  Cohansie. 
But  Mr.  Sheppard  preferred  the  lowlier  position  of  pastor  at  a  mission 
station.  There  was  a  sorrowful  lack  of  appreciation  in  the  Churches 
which  he  served,  that  his  dust  lies  in  an  unmarked  grave  in  a  country 
graveyard,  it  may  be,  overgrown  with  briers  and  weeds.  Job  Sheppard 
the  first  pastor  of  Salem  and  Joseph  Sheppard,  pastor  there  1809-29, 
were  descendants  of  David  Sheppard,  who  had  come  from  Ireland  in 
1683  and  was  a  constituent  of  Cohansie  Church. 


46  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

A  vacancy  in  the  pastoral  office  lasted  four  years.  When,  in  1761, 
Rev.  John  Sutton  became  pastor,  but  illness  compelled  him  to  retire 
within  a  few  months.  Mr.  Sutton  was  one  of  five  brothers — all  Bap- 
tist ministers — sent  out  by  Scotch  Plains  Church.  Rev.  John  Stutton 
was  a  graduate  of  Hopewell,  an  associate  with  Rev.  James  Manning,  of 
Scotch  Plains  Church,  founder  of  Brown  University.  Mr.  Sutton  was 
an  eminent  man  in  his  times.  An  interval  of  eighteen  months  occurred 
before  Rev.  John  Blackwell,  of  Hopewell,  entered  the  pastorate,  which 
again  soon  closed. 

About  four  years  passed,  when,  in  February,  1768,  Rev.  Abel  Grif- 
fiths settled  as  pastor,  ministering  seven  years  to  the  Church  and  sup- 
plied the  Brandywine  Church  in  Delaware.  Material  interests  prosper- 
ed under  Mr.  Griffiths.  A  parsonage  and  farm  of  one  hundred  acres 
about  a  mile  from  towTi  was  bought. 

A  long  vacancj'  of  nine  years  followed  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Grif- 
fiths, including  the  dark  days  of  the  American  Revolution.  This  in- 
terval, however,  showed  traces  of  the  Divine  presence.  In  one  year 
eighteen  were  baptized,  in  two  other  years,  eight  in  each.  Despite  of 
death  and  other  losses,  the  membership  had  doubled.  It  is  quite  likely 
that  Pastor  Kelsay  of  Cohansie  had  a  care  for  Salem  Church,  the  eldest 
child  of  his  Church. 

Rev.  P.  Van  Horn  became  pastor  in  March,  1784.  He  died  while 
pastor,  September  10th,  1789.  During  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Van  Horn, 
1786,  the  meeting  house  in  Salem  was  begun  and  was  nearly  four  years 
before  completed.  The  building  was  of  brick,  large  and  substantial  and 
creditable  in  architecture  and  taste  to  those  who  built  it.  The  house 
cost  seven  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  It  was  built  on  a  lot  of  the 
widow  Dunlap,  formerly  Mary  Wiggins,  who  died  in  1797,  leaving,  by 
her  will,  all  her  property,  personal  and  real,  to  the  Church.  Eleanor 
Waters,  who  died  in  1795,  also  left  the  Church  100  pounds  or  about  $500. 
What  remained  of  these  legacies  in  1844  was  used  in  securing  the  present 
house  of  worship. 

About  a  year  after  Mr.  Van  Horn  died.  Rev.  Isaac  Skillman  entered 
the  pastor's  office,  in  September,  1790.  The  following  curious  docu- 
ment signifies  the  business  arrangement  of  this  settlement.  It  is  a 
sample  of  a  number  that  follow,  when  new  pastors  were  engaged.  It 
reads  as  follows:  "Be  it  remembered,  That  on  the  sixteenth  day  of 
November,  1791,  the  following  argeement  was  entered  into  between  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Isaac  Skillman  and  the  Baptist  Church  and  congregation  and 
their  trustees  in  Salem,  that  is  to  say,  the  said  Mr.  Skillman  covenants  and 
agrees  to  be  the  pastor  or  minister  of  said  Church  and  congregation,  to 
execute  all  the  duties  that  a  minister  ought  to  perform  in  a  Church 


COHANSIE  AND  SALEM  47 

agreeable  to  the  Baptist  Confession  of  Faith;  preach  all  funerals  that  he 
may  be  called  upon  to  preach  for  said  congregation;  preach  two  sermons 
a  day  in  the  summer  season,  visit  the  said  congregation  twice  a  year, 
formally,  and  not  leave  nor  absent  himself  from  the  necessary  services 
of  said  congregation,  without  consent  of  said  congregation.  And  the 
said  Church  and  congregation  and  their  trustees  doth  covenant  and 
agree  to  and  with  the  said  Mr.  Skillman  to  pay  him  for  his  labors  and 
services  in  the  said  Church  and  congregation,  as  above  said,  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  a  year,  to  commence  on  the  four- 
teenth day  of  August  last.  And  further  the  said  parties  agree  and 
promise  each  to  the  other  that  if  any  discontent  on  the  part  of  the  said 
Mr.  Skillman,  whereby  he  should  wish  to  be  dismissed  from  serving  said 
Church  and  congregation,  or  if  any  discontent  should  arise  in  the  Church 
and  congregation  that  they  should  wish  to  have  the  said  Mr.  Skillman 
dismissed  from  being  their  minister,  in  either  case,  they  may,  if  either  of 
them  see  'mete'  call  the  minister  and  two  of  the  members  from  Cumber- 
land and  Wilmington  Baptist  Churches  to  judge  between  them,  and  their 
determination  shall  be  binding  to  each  party.  In  witness  whereof  the 
parties  hereunto  set  their  hands  in  presents  of  the  minister  and  two 
members  of  the  Cumberland  Baptist  Church  and  the  minister  and  two 
members  of  the  Wilmington  Baptist  Church. 

Signed:  ISAAC    SKILLMAN,    Pastor. 

Henry  Smalley,  f^  ,        .  Job  Robinson,  f  „..,     .      , 

T       /u       r)  Cohansie  o  i  u  ajt-  !  Wilmmgton 

Jonathan  Bowen  i    „,        ,  Caleb  Way,  -I      ^.        , 

,Tr,      .  •   Church.  „,  c;         ^  I      Church 

Isaac  Wheaton  [  Thomas  Sasnot,  ( 

Thomas  Sayre,  John  Holme,  Benjamin  Holme, 

Anthony  Keasby,  John  Briggs,  John  Walker, 

Howell  Smith,  — Trustees. 

This  is  followed  by  the  signatures  of  seventeen  male  members  of 
the  Church  in  addition. 

Mr.  SkiUman  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  Had  prepared  for 
college  at  Hopewell  and  graduated  from  Princeton.  In  the  minutes  of 
the  Philadelphia  association,  October,  1772,  is  this  record:  "Thursday 
morning  being  appointed  by  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  this  city  (Phil- 
adelphia) for  the  ordination  of  Brother  Isaac  Skillman  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  it  was  attended  with  fasting  and  prayer  and  a  sermon  by 
Brother  James  Manning,  President  of  Brown  University.  Then  the 
person  was  ordained  by  Messrs.  John  Gano,  Abel  Morgan  and  Isaac 
Stelle;  the  charge  was  given  by  Benjamin  Miller."  Call  up  this  galaxy 
of  names — Manning,  Gano,  Morgan,  Stelle,  Miller!!  Manning,  Gano 
and  Miller  and  the  candidate,  Skillman,  natives  of  New  Jersey;  Morgan 
and  Stelle,  pastors  of  the  two  oldest  Churches  south  of  Rhode  Island 


48  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  Morgan  Edwards  was  then  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in 
Philadelphia.  If  great  names  and  godly  men  ministering  in  Divine 
things,  could  call  down  the  sanctity  of  the  Holy  One  upon  the  person  in 
waiting,  he  might  be  assured  of  the  Divine  anointing  at  the  hands  of 
these. 

The  next  year,  Mr.  Skillman  settled  in  Boston,  Mass.,  (1773),  pastor 
of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  for  fourteen  years.  Resigning  his  charge 
there  he  accepted  the  call  to  Salem  in  1790.  "The  Church  grew  in 
numbers,  in  resources  and  in  effective  strength."  Mr.  Skillman  died 
suddenly  in  1799  and  was  greatly  lamented.  Leaving  the  memorial 
of  one  whom  "the  king  delighted  to  honor."  Mr.  H.  G.  Jones  supplied 
the  pulpit  for  six  months,  from  June,  1791,  when  he  was  called  to  be 
pastor,  in  January,  1792.  He  served  the  Church  nearh^  four  years, 
resigning  on  account  of  failing  health. 

After  several  months  had  gone,  Mr.  Thomas  Brown  was  called  and 
ordained  in  1796.  He  remained  two  years  and  moved  to  East  Jersey. 
His  short  pastorate  was  successful  and  he  left  behind  him  a  cherished 
memory.  Joseph  Sheppard  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained 
in  April,  1809,  resigning  in  1829.  His  pastorate  of  twenty  years  was 
the  longest  the  Church  had  known.  Mr.  Sheppard  was  the  fifth  genera- 
tion from  the  original  David  Sheppard.  The  other  pastorates  approxi- 
mating Mr.  Sheppards  in  length  were  Rev.  J.  R.  Murphey  and  Rev.  A. 
H.  Sembower,  each  lasting  twelve  and  more  years.  The  oversight  of 
Pastor  Sheppard  was  a  continuous  good  to  the  Church.  Two  colonies 
were  dismissed  in  it,  to  constitute  Churches — Canton  and  Woodstown. 
Six  young  men  were  influenced  to  prepare  for  the  ministry.  A 
higher  academic  school  was  begun  and  a  building  erected  for  its  use. 
Under  his  able,  earnest  and  intelligent  oversight,  the  welfare  of  the 
Church  was  promoted.  He  took  an  active  part  in  originating  the  New 
Jersey  Baptist  Association  in  1811,  the  first  association  and  general 
body  of  Baptists  in  the  State,  and  was  its  first  clerk;  also,  clerk  of  the 
"New  Jersey  Baptist  Mission  Society,"  constituted  at  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Association.  In  effect,  the  beginning  of  the  New  Jersey 
State  Convention.  Mr.  Sheppard  survived  his  removal  from  Salem 
about  nine  years  and  died  at  Camden  fifty-two  years  old. 

Rev.  C.  J.  Hopkins  followed  at  Salem,  in  May,  1829,  and  continued 
in  charge  of  the  Church  sLx  years.  Mr.  Hopkins  always  had  a  crowded 
audience  and  was  a  "taking"  preacher.  A  most  genial  and  humorous 
man.  Many  incidents  are  told  of  his  funny  side  both  on  the  road,  in 
the  parlor  and  in  the  pulpit.  Serious  matters  had  their  "sunny  side" 
to  him.  A  colony  for  the  organization  of  a  Church  at  Alloway  was  sent 
out  in  1830.     Later,  in  1859,  Mr.  Hopkins  returned  to  Salem  and  was 


COHANSIE  AND  SALEM  49 

pastor  of  the  Second  Church,  remaining  until  1861 ,  when  they  disbanded. 
While  visiting  Salem  in  July,  1862,  he  died  very  suddenly. 

Rev.  Thomas  Wilkes  followed  Mr.  Hopkins,  in  July,  1835.  His 
stay  was  only  eight  months.  Mr.  Nightinggale  succeeded  in  March, 
1863.  He  was  a  vigorous  man  and  of  his  piety  and  worth  none  who 
knew  him  had  any  doubt.  Had  he  been  born  a  hundred  years  earlier, 
he  would  have  fitted  the  times  admirably.  As  the  writer  remembers 
him,  his  solemnity  was  at  times  embarassing.  For  three  years,  after 
Mr.  Nightinggale,  Rev.  Samuel  Smith  was  pastor;  much  the  same  kind 
of  a  man  as  Mr.  Nightinggale  Worthily  known  for  the  three  "S's" — 
Sober,  Sound  and  Safe. 

The  pastor  succeeding  Mr.  Smith,  Rev.  S.  C.  James,  was  wholly 
unlike  the  two  last.  Ministering  from  January,  1842,  to  March,  1844. 
A  lovable  man  and  eminently  useful.  A  smile  always  wreathed  his 
countenance  and  his  words  cheery  and  youthful;  his  grey  hairs  seemed 
out  of  place.  In  April,  1844,  Rev.  J.  W.  Gibbs  entered  the  pastorate. 
He  had  the  gift  of  words.  One  of  the  good  women  of  his  Church  said 
to  him,  "Mr.  Gibbs  we  cannot  understand  the  words  you  use,"  To  her 
he  replied:  "My  sister,  you  must  buy  a  dictionary."  A  member  of 
his  congregation  caught  this  from  his  sermon: — "Anticipating  the 
circumstances  of  the  results  of  the  consequences  on  the  part  of  the 
Apostles,  aside  and  separate  from  the  Scriptures." 

A  new  house  of  worship  down  town  where  people  lived  had  long 
been  needed.  The  sanctity  of  the  old  house  of  worship  suddenly  en- 
hanced. A  second  Church  was  formed  of  the  disaffected  to  the 
movement.  The  gates  of  the  cemetery  in  which  it  stood  were  locked 
and  funerals  with  the  dead  shut  out.  The  new  structure,  however, 
was  finished  and  dedicated  in  December,  1846.  Pastor  Gibbs  re- 
mained about  three  years.  Closing  his  labors  in  April,  1847.  Mr. 
Gibbs  did  a  great  work  for  the  Church  by  his  tact  and  wisdom  in 
building  the  new   sanctuary. 

James  Smithers  became  pastor  on  the  same  day  on  which  Pastor 
Gibbs  retired.  He  was  discovered  in  various  immoralities  and  ex- 
pelled from  the  Church  on  account  of  them. 

Special  Providence  sent  them  for  pastor  Rev.  R.  F.  Young.  The 
troubles  growing  out  of  building  the  new  Church  edifice  and  the  odium 
which  attacked  to  the  Church  on  account  of  the  Smithers  reprobacy, 
called  for  such  a  pastor  as  Mr.  Yovmg  proved  to  be.  One  who  could 
instantly  command  universal  confidence  for  his  known  purity  in  the 
many  years  of  his  devoted  Christian  ministry.  He  became  pastor, 
October  1st,  1849.  While  pastor  for  five  years,  his  labors  were  incessant 
and  reached  in  every  direction.     He  made  no  pretentions  and  was  emi- 


50  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

nent  for  humility,  tenderness  and  efficiency.  Many  converts  were  add- 
ed to  the  Cliurch  under  his  hibors,  the  debt  on  the  new  Church  edifice 
was  paid  and  concord  in  the  Church  restored.  A  second  effort  was  made 
to  found  an  academic  school.  The  failure  of  the  movement  and  the 
loss  of  funds  to  provide  a  temporary  home  for  the  school  was  wholly 
beyond  the  control  of  Mr.  Young.  Mr.  Young  resigned  October  l.st, 
1854,  to  return  to  an  old  charge  in  Pennsylvania.  The  beloved  and 
able  Aaron  Perkins  followed  in  February,  1855,  and  soon  remedied  so 
great  a  loss.  Mr.  Perkins  was  in  his  sixty-third  year  and  had  been 
preaching  for  forty-three  years,  but  retained  the  ardor  and  vigor  of  his 
youth.  At  the  close  of  his  pastorate,  in  July,  1859,  he  left  large  re- 
turns as  the  harvest  of  his  sowing  and  of  the  wonderful  rewards  which 
his  successor  was  privileged  to  reap.  A  few  months  later,  in  October, 
1859,  Rev.  J.  R.  Murphey  became  pastor  and  for  twelve  years  served 
the  Church.  In  1868  and  18G9  a  revival  broke  out  and  two  hundred  and 
forty-seven  were  baptized,  the  largest  number  baptized  in  one  associa- 
tional  year  in  any  Baptist  Church  in  the  State.  Seventy-two  members 
were  dismissed  in  July,  1869,  to  organize  the  memorial  Church  in  Salem. 
A  week  elapsed  at  the  close  of  the  service  of  Pastor  Murphey  in  March, 
1872,  when  Mr.  Miles  Sanford  settled  as  Pastor.  Mr.  Sanford  died 
October  31st,  1874,  only  two  years  and  seven  months  after  the  be- 
ginning of  his  work. 

After  an  interval  of  months,  Rev.  C.  E.  Cords  entered  the  pastorate 
in  June,  1875,  and  resigned  in  November,  1877.  His  pastoral  relation 
identified  him  with  Baptist  interests  in  Salem  and  in  1881  "the  memorial 
Church"  called  him  to  be  their  pastor.  Rev.  J.  B.  English  became  pas- 
tor, serving  as  such  about  two  years. 

"Supplies"  ministered  to  the  Church  for  many  months  when  a  call 
was  given  to  Mr.  H.  A.  Griesemer,  who  was  ordained  pastor  in  February, 
1881.  Improvements  on  the  meeting  house  at  a  larger  expenditure  than 
the  original  cost  of  the  projaerty,  added  every  needed  convenience  for 
Christian  work.     Mr.  Griesemer  resigned  in  April,  1884. 

Pastor  A.  H.  Sembower  began  his  ministry  at  Salem  on  September 
1st,  1884  and  continued  twelve  and  more  years.  Being  the  second 
pastor  after  Joseph  Sheppard  who  showed  the  gains  made  by  long  pas- 
torates, to  both  pastor  and  Church.  Mr.  Sembower  resigned  in  1896. 
The  debts  incurred  by  improvements  in  the  previous  pastoral  care,  were 
all  paid  in  this  pastorate.  A  colored  sister,  Sidney  Miller,  a  member  of 
the  Church,  left  a  legacy  of  eighteen  hundred  dollars  to  the  Church, 
which  was  used  to  pay  the  last  debts.  Pastor  Sembower  followed  some 
of  his  predecessors  in  being  a  missionary  pastor.  In  Salem,  a  colony 
founded   the   Mt.    Zion   Church,    and  in    1890,    forty-eight    members 


CUHANSIE  AND  SALEM  51 

founded  the  Quinton  Church.  In  February,  1897,  Kcv.  E.  McMinn 
became  pastor  and  continued  until  1000,  when  he  resigned. 

Salem  has  had  twenty-five  pastors.  One  served  twenty  years; 
two,  more  than  twelve  j^ears;  four  closed  their  work  on  earth  by  death: 
— Job  Sheppard,  P.  Van  Horn,  I.  Skillman  and  Miles  Sanford.  Five 
pastors  were  ordained  for  the  pastoral  office. 

As  many  as  eleven  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach;  some 
of  tliem  foremost  men  in  the  Baptist  ministry.  One,  C.  W.  Mulford, 
was  a  champion  of  temperance  in  a  day  when  it  was  an  unpopular  theme 
and  was  secretary  and  president  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Convention. 
Another  was  D.  J.  Freas,  he  had  financial  "means."  Entering  a  field, 
found  nine  Baptists  beside  himself ;  prevailed  to  have  a  Church  formed; 
and  wasoneof  its  constituents;  was  pastor  and  used  his  funds  to  build  a 
house  of  worship,  sheds  and  what  else  was  needful.  The  writer  recalls, 
that  having  spent  "all,"  he  asked  the  endorsement  of  the  Board  of  the 
Convention  to  visit  Churches  and  ask  their  help  to  repay  him.  Alas, 
that  it  was  a  vain  venture!  Mr.  Freas  spent  the  last  years  of  his  life  as 
a  city  missionary  in  Trenton,  N.  J.  He  chose  this  work  of  his  own 
accord  and  without  salary.  But  he  lacked  nothing  for  his  work  or  for 
himself.  It  was  said:  "There  had  never  been  such  a  funeral  in  Tren- 
ton," cither  for  the  number  of  clergymen  present,  nor  for  the 
persons  there,  rich  and  poor,  nor  for  the  profound  and  universal  grief 
expressed;  nor  for  the  multitude  present  to  do  honor  to  the  man  whose 
unselfishness  and  piety  was  known  throughout  the  city. 

Seven  colonies  went  out  from  Salem  Church.  These  included  two 
hundred  and  thirty-six  members.  The  membership  included  the 
Holmes,  Smiths,  Keasbe)'s,  Sheppards  and  Quintons,  a  large  and  in- 
fluential part  of  the  wealth  and  culture  of  the  comnmnity. 


CHAPTER  III. 


CANTON,  1818,  WOODSTOWN,  1822,  ALLOW  AY,  1830, 
AND  QUINTON,  187ti,  CHURCHES. 


Canton  is  about  midway  between  Cohansie  and  Salem.  Nathaniel 
Jenkins,  first  made  Canton  an  out-station  of  Cohansie  Church,  long  be- 
fore Salem  Church  was  formed.  Pastors  Kelsay,  of  Cohansie,  and  Job 
Sheppard,  of  Salem,  and  their  successors  kept  up  the  appointment. 
Steps  were  taken  in  1809  to  build  a  meeting  house  in  Canton.  Messrs. 
Small ey,  of  Cohansie,  and  Joseph  Sheppard,  of  Salem,  also,  took  meas- 
ures for  the  organization  of  a  Church.  Since  mention  is  made  "of 
constituent  members  and  of  a  councO  in  November,  1812,"  having 
frequent  consultations  and  it  "was  resolved  to  constitute  a  gospel 
Church."     For  some  reason  this  decision  was  not  carried  out. 

SLx  years  later,  on  November  12,  1818,  Pastors  Smalley  and  Shep- 
pard met  with  twenty-six  members  dismissed  from  Salem  and  five  from 
Cohansie,  in  all  thirty-one,  and  endorsed  them  as  a  regular  Baptist 
Church.  Previously  an  arrangement  had  been  made  with  Mr.  Thomas 
J.  Kitts  to  become  pastor  and  in  the  next  December  he  was  ordained. 
Pastor  Kitts  was  very  useful,  but  he  resigned  at  the  end  of  sixteen 
months.  The  pastors  were  Rev.  J.  P.  Cooper,  1821-23;  Rev.  E.  Jayne, 
1824,  seventy  years  old  and  died  in  April,  1826;  Rev.  J.  P.  Thompson, 
1827-30;  E.  M.  Barker,  1830-33;  ordained  1831,  Rev.  J.  P.  Cooper, 
second  charge;  Rev.  J.  Miller,  five  years,  an  antinomian.  tender  him 
the  Church  withdrew  from  the  New  Jersey  Association  and  sent  a  dele- 
gate to  an  anti-nomian  association. 

In  December,  1834,  they  resolved:  "That,  we  as  a  particular 
Baptist  Church  hold  no  further  correspondence  with  the  New  Jersey 
Baptist  Association,  believing  that  they  have  acted  contrary  to  their 
constitution  in  the  following  particulars:  First.  To  allow  Churches 
to  make  alterations  in  their  'articles  of  faith.'  Second.  In  the 
admission  of  the  Church  at  Vincentown  on  a  new  'confession  of  faith.' 
We  have,  therefore,  come  to  the  conclusion:  "That  the  aforesaid 
Association  has  no  standing  article  of  faith  by  which  it  may  be  discrim- 
inated as  a  particular  body  and  under  such  considerations,  we  have 
deemed  it  expedient  to  withdraw  from  the  same."  The  resolution  to 
which  reference  is  made  is:  Resolved,  that  we  recognize  no  right  in 
our  association  to  dictate  confessions  of  faith  to  the  Churches,   and 


CANTON,  WOODSTOWN,  ALLOW  AY  AND  QUINTON       53 

therefore,  deem  it  expedient  to  act  upon  the  confession  of  faith, 
which  we  have  generally  received,  but  refer  it  to  the  Churches  to 
make  such  alterations  as  they  may  deem  necessary  in  that  instrument." 

This  resolution  is  wholly  Baptistic,  denying  to  associations  or  to 
any  other  person  or  body  the  right  to  dictate  to  a  Church  what  it  shall 
believe.  The  Canton  Church  had  no  right  to  dictate  to  the  Asso- 
ciation, that  it  ought  to  dictate  to  the  Churches.  A  Church 
must  choose  for  itself.  If  Baptist,  Presbyterian  or  another  it  is 
free  to  choose  its  own  relationship.  The  only  right  of  an  associated 
Church  is  to  inquire  if  it  agrees  to  the  accepted  faith.  Asking  to  join 
a  Baptist  or  any  other  such  body  one  ought  to  be  a  Baptist,  or  be  in 
accord  with  those  with  whom  he  unites. 

In  the  digest  of  1833,  page  7,  a  quotation  from  the  Canton  letter 
says:  "Have  preaching  from  a  sound  evangelical  man."  Sound  and 
evangelical  had  a  significant  meaning  in  that  day.  To  one  familiar 
with  Hyper  and  moderate  Calvinism,  two  generations  since,  the  memory 
is  horrible.  An  "unsound"  preacher  was  ostracised.  We  can  have 
no  conception  of  the  bitterness  and  enmity  cherished  against  Rev.  H. 
Holcombe,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Philadelphia,  excited 
by  that  memorable  sermon,  "On  the  attainableness  of  faith"  inti- 
mating that  a  soul  had  some  part  in  its  own  salvation,  at  least,  by  ac- 
ceptance of  Christ  and  by  overcoming  and  growth. 

Subsequently  this  action  of  the  Canton  Church  was  shown  to  be  the 
work  of  the  Pastor  and  he  became  a  "bone  of  contention."  A  council 
was  called,  both  parties  agreeing  to  abide  by  their  decision.  But  the 
Miller  faction  repudiated  it,  and  Mr.  Miller  and  the  minority  left 
the  Church.  Another  council's  advise  was  accepted  and  Miller  with 
thirty  adherents  were  excluded.  These  built  a  place  of  worship,  near 
the  old  Church  edifice,  adopted  anti-nomianism,  having  Mr.  Miller  for 
pastor.  But  when  he  removed,  the  light  went  out  and  the  property 
was  put  to  secular  uses.  This  was  the  only  attempt  of  anti-nomianism 
made  in  South  Jersey.  Pastor  Moore,  at  Cohansie,  tasted,  1843,  its 
bitterness.  With  his  removal  and  the  coming  of  another,  using 
careful  formula  of  speech,  dissent  and  difference  disappeared.  An 
old  pastor  at  Canton,  Rev.  J.  P.  Cooper,  whose  goodness  and 
ministering  piety  were  known  to  all  and  doubted  by  none,  em- 
ployed himself  to  heal  the  wounds  of  old  hurts  and  to  restore  the 
spirituality  of  the  Church. 

Rev.  William  Ruddy  became  pastor  in  1838.  The  Church  re- 
united with  the  New  Jersey  Association.  A  large  and  very  creditable 
brick  house  of  worship  was  built  and  paid  for  in  1840-1.  Pastor  Ruddy 
resigned  in  1841.     His  pastoral  care  was  unmi.xed  good  to  the  Church 


54  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  to  the  community.  Rev.  William  J.  Nice  followed.  Prudent, 
extremely  modest,  eminently  pious,  his  work  and  influence  promoted 
the  best  spiritual  welfare  of  the  Church.  Concord  prevailed,  many 
converts  were  gathered,  restoration  characterized  the  labors  of  one  of 
the  best  of  men.  After  this  the  pastors  were:  Rev.  William  Bowen, 
1842-45;  George  Sleeper,  1849-55;  William  Pike,  1856-58;  S.  C.  Dare, 
1859-63;  W.  E.  Cornwell,  Jr.,  1864-5;  J.  W.  Marsh,  1866-69;  E.  M.  Buyrn, 
1870;  S.  Hughes,  1871;  E.  M.  Barker,  Second  pastorate,  1872-73;  F. 
Spencer,  1874-76;  M.  M.  Fogg,  1877-80;  C.  DeCamp,  1881-83;  J.  Ferris, 
1883-87;  J.  J.  Davies,  1887-91;  William  G.  Robinson,  1891-93;  J.  D. 
Williams,  1894-96;  L.  Myers,  1896-1900. 

The  Church  has  had  twenty-seven  pastors  in  its  eighty-two  years 
of  life,  an  average  of  three  years  each.  One  died  while  pastor.  Two 
were  pastors  twice,  and  it  may  be  one  of  them,  three  times.  Mr.  Marsh 
baptized  ninety-five  in  1867-68.  Mr.  Dare  baptized  in  1861-62 
seventy-one.  Mr.  Fogg,  in  1880-81  baptized  sixty-five.  Other 
pastors  while  no  less  useful  did  not  gather  in  so  many  converts  in 
any  one  revival  work.  Two  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use  by  Can- 
ton Church,  one  built  in  1809,  while  Canton  was  yet  a  mission  station  of 
Cohansie  Church,  the  other  in  1840-1,  Mr.  Ruddy  being  pastor. 

There  is  no  reliable  information  of  Baptist  intere.sts  in  Wood.stowTi 
earlier  tlian  1 822.  Pastor  Kelsay  and  Pastor  Sheppard  may  have  had 
meetings  there  before  the  organization  of  the  Church.  VVoodstowai 
Baptists  were  commonly  associated  with  the  Salem  Church  as  the  con- 
stituency of  Woodstown  shows.  The  Church  was  formed  of  fifteen 
members,  fourteen  of  them  from  Salem  and  one  from  Cohansie  and  was 
organized  as  an  independent  body  on  July  24th,  1822.  In  the  next 
August,  Mr.  William  B.  Marshall  was  ordained.  His  stay  was  short, 
only  about  six  months.  Rev.  P.  Cooper  followed  for  a  year.  On 
October  23rd,  Rev.  WiUiam  Bacon,  M.  D.,  became  pastor.  Both  as 
physician  and  pastor.  Dr.  Bacon  sustained  a  noble  record  as  a 
good  and  true  man  having  the  entire  confidence  of  all,  even  though 
his  home  was  a  burden  and  an  affliction  and  only  the  good 
of  Christ's  cause  prevented  him  from  making  his  troubles  pub- 
lic and  getting  a  divorce.  While  pastor,  the  temperance  pledge 
was  added  to  the  covenant,  in  1832.  A  society  was  also  formed 
to  aid  young  men  to  get  an  education  for  the  ministry,  six  years  before 
the  New  Jersey  Education  Society  was  organized.  After  eight  years 
of  untiring  service,  Dr.  Bacon  resigned,  in  February,  1838.  But  for 
his  income  from  his  medical  practice  he  could  not  have  been  supported 
on  the  field  and  this  the  more  indicates  his  worth. 


CANTON,  WOODSTOWN,  ALLOWAY  AND  QUINTON       55 

The  succession  of  pastors  has  been  :  Rev.  H.  Samuel  Wilson,  1839; 
Rev.  C.  C.  W.  Park,  1840-42;  Mr.  D.  Mead,  ordained  in  July  1842-44;  Mr. 
F.  P.  Baldin,  ordained  December,  1844,  suddenly  died  within  a  year; 
A.  J.  Hires,  "supply,"  ordained  July,  1846-47;  Rev.  J.  P.  Hall,  1847-50; 
Rev.  C.  Brinkerhoff,  1850-54;  Rev.  A.  Harvey,  1S54-5G;  E.  C.  Ambler, 
1856-59  (Lecture  and  Sunday-school  room  built  in  1858.);  W.  E.  Corn- 
well,  1860,  ordained  1861  and  remained  as  "supply;"  H.  B.  Shermer, 
1861-63;  Rev.  F.  D.  Meeson,  1864-65. 

For  nearly  three  years  destitute  of  a  pastor,  in  which  time  A.  J. 
Hires  and  E.  M.  Barker  were  supplies;  Rev.  S.  C.  Dare,  1868-69;  (Bap- 
tistry put  into  the  house  of  worship  in  this  pastorate.)  Rev.  J.  Thorn, 
1870-71;  Rev.  F.  B.  Greul,  1872-74;  ordained;  Rev.  P.  S.  Vreeland, 
1874-76;  Rev.  F.  W.  Sullivan,  1877-78;  (In  1878,  Sister  S.  B.  Ale  in  her 
will  left  her  house  to  the  Church  for  a  parsonage.)  Mr.  E.  I.  McKeever, 
1878-81; (ordained  1879.)  Rev.  E.  D.  Stager,  1881. 

The  Church  has  had  twenty-eight  pastors.  Dr.  Bacon  had  the  long- 
est charge,  eight  years.  Seven  of  the  pastors  were  ordained.  Five  mem- 
bers have  been  licen.sed  to  preach.  The  loss  of  the  early  records  ac- 
counts for  our  ignorance  of  how  and  when  the  Church  edifice  was  built, 
a  substantial  brick  building  of  large  size  for  the  times  in  which  it  was 
erected.  It  was  believed  that  each  of  the  two  deacons  gave  one 
thousand  dollars  for  it.  One  of  them,  Matthew  Morri.son,  is  knowoi 
to  have  given  one  third  of  his  property  toward  the  building.  It  was 
said  that  in  the  night  he  dreamed  that  he  and  Deacon  Waters  had  given 
that  sum,  whereupon  he  asked  the  Brother  Deacon  to  give  that  amount. 
He,  willing  to  give  liberally,  did  not  think  that  he  could  give  so  much. 
But  constant  importunity  prevailed,  and  such  an  example  secured  the 
additional  needed  sum  and  the  work  was  done.  From  his  knowledge 
of  Deacon  Morrison,  the  writer  is  fully  persuaded  that  he  was  the  kind 
of  man  whose  whole  soul  was  wrapped  up  in  the  welfare  of  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

Baptists  and  Alloway  are  associated  from  an  early  date.  John 
Holmes,  second  son  of  Obadiah  Holmes,  Sr.,  the  Massachusett.9- martyr, 
moved  from  Philadelphia  to  Alloway  earlier  than  1700.  His  youngest 
brother,  Obadiah,  Jr.,  having  come  to  Salem  county  about  1683-5. 
John  Holmes  was  a  man  of  wealth,  of  culture  and  of  position  in  .social 
life.  Under  the  Colonial  government,  he  was  a  Judge  in  Philadelphia 
and  was  in  disfavor  with  the  "Friends"  (Quakers)  for  a  decision  in  which 
he  maintained  the  Baptist  doctrine  of  the  right  of  private  opinion. 
Other  Baptists  lived  at  Alloway.  In  reprint  of  Philadelphia  A.ssociation 
(A.  B.  P.  Soc,  1851)  1755,  page  72,  is  this  minute:  "Concluded  to  receive 
the  Church  lately  constituted  at  AUoway's  Creek  in  Salem  county." 


56    ■  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

This  body  and  First  Salem  were  really  one  Church.  The  first  meeting 
house  of  this  body  was  built  at  Mill  Hollow,  on  land  given  by  Daniel 
Smith,  two  miles  from  Salem,  toward  Alloway.  Mr.  Job  Sheppard  was 
the  first  pastor  of  this  Church  and  preached  twelve  years  in  the  Mill 
Hollow  house. 

There  was  in  early  times  a  very  real  Baptist  element  in  Alloway. 
A  concentration  of  Baptists  in  Salem  at  the  building  of  the  Second 
Church  edifice  in  Upper  Salem,  accounts  for  the  loss  of  Baptist  influence 
in  Alloway.  A  Baptist  house  of  worship  was  built  in  Alloway,  in  1S21, 
and  Pastors  Cooper,  Sheppard  (Joseph)  and  Hopkins  preached  in  it. 
The  present  Church  was  not  organized  until  1830,  when  twenty-five 
members  were  dismissed  from  Salem  to  constitute  the  Church.  In 
1832,  Rev.  E.  M.  Barker  became  pastor.  Rev.  John  Miller  was  pastor 
in  1833,  lieing  an  anti-nomian  he  led  about  one  third  into  schism,  but  he 
and  his  party  were  failures.  Rev.  Mr.  Ferguson  was  pastor  in  1835. 
Dr.  Bacon,  of  Woodstown,  divided  his  labors  at  home  and  in  Alloway,  in 
1836.  The  succession  of  pastors  was:  N.  Stetson,  one  year;  Ezekiel 
Sexton,  three  years;  then,  "supplies,"  William  Maul,  three  years;  F.  T. 
Cailhopper,  seven  years,  and  ordained;  William  Roney,  one  year;  James 
Tricket,  four  years;  A.  H.  Bliss,  seven  years,  while  pastor  the  meeting 
house  was  enlarged  and  remodeled;  J.  E.  Bradley,  three  years;  M.  M. 
Finch,  one  year;  J.  Walden,  three  years;  J.  Tricket,  three  years  (second 
charge);  L.  Wardell,  one  year;  E.  V.  Glover,  three  years;  C.  R.  Webb, 
one  year;  W.  L.  Mayo,  two  years,  in  whose  oversight  a  parsonage  was 
built;  G.  S.  Wendell,  seven  years. 

Since  1832,  twenty-three  pastors  have  served  the  Church.  Being  a 
rural  Church,  a  struggle  was  essential  to  maintain  it.  Had  such 
Churches  an  endowment  to  pay  the  current  costs,  the  Church  need  only 
care  for  the  pastor  and  the  foreign  element  now  being  substituted  for 
the  American  in  rural  sections.  It  would  have  the  means  and  influence 
to  Christianize  and  Americanize  them. 

As  one  result  of  the  great  revival  in  the  First  Bapitst  Church  of 
Salem,  in  1868-69,  the  Memorial  Baptist  Church  of  Salem  was  con- 
stituted on  July  4th,  1869,  with  seventy-two  constituents  dismissed 
from  the  First  Church,  for  the  organization  of  the  Memorial  Church.  It 
was  supposed  that  this  new  Church  was  intended  to  be  a  memorial  of 
the  work  of  grace  out  of  which  it  grew.  It  met  in  a  hall  until  their 
house  of  worship  was  ready  for  use.  The  basement  of  their  Church 
edifice  was  occupied  in  1870,  and  upon  entrance  into  the  upper  room  all 
expenditures  were  paid. 

On  September  1st,  1869,  Rev.  H.  H.  Rhees  became  pastor.  His 
stay  was  short  and,  in  1870,  Rev.  H.  G.  Mason  accepted  the  pastoral 


CANTON,  WUODSTOWN,  ALT.OWAY,  AND  QUTNTON      f.? 

charge,  closins;  his  oversight  in  1875.  Rev.  A.  C.  WilHams  entered  the 
pa.storate  in  May,  187fi,  and  conckided  his  pastoral  care  in  1879,  being 
followed  by  Rev.  C.  M.  Ray,  in  March,  1879,  continuing  until  1881. 
Pastor  C.  E.  Cordo  settled  on  February  1,  1881.  Important  and 
needed  repairs  on  the  meeting  house  were  made  and  at  the  end  of 
four  years,  he  resigned  in  April,  188G.  Rev.  D.  DeWolf  entered 
the  pastorate,  in  November,  1890.  Mr.  DeWolf  was  called  into 
the  service  of  the  Now  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  and  B.  P.  Hope 
became  pastor  in  March,  1891,  and  is  now  (1900)  pastor.  A  parsonage 
was  bought  in  1893.  Mr.  Hope  exceeded  in  tlie  length  of  his  oversight 
any  preceeding  pastor. 

The  Memorial  Church  has  had  seven  pastors.  Mr.  Hope  has  in- 
cluded more  than  one-third  of  the  time  the  Church  has  lived.  One 
member  has  been  licensed  to  preach.  The  financial  management  of  the 
Church  has  accorded  with  business  affairs,  a  most  creditable  arrange- 
ment. 

A  mission  was  begun  by  First  Salem  Bapti.st  Church  at  Quinton, 
in  1876,  in  the  school  house.  Two  constituents  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  at  Salem,  in  1755,  were  Quintons  and  probably  a  Baptist  ele- 
ment was  in  the  place.  In  1888,  a  chapel  society  was  formed  and  they 
erected  a  building  which  was  dedicated  in  March,  1890,  and  at  that  time 
a  Baptist  Church  with  forty-nine  members  was  formed.  Of  these,  forty- 
eight  were  dismissed  from  First  Salem  Church.  Within  a  year  it  had 
largely  increased. 

After  the  organization,  a  student  preached  until  July,  1891,  when 
Rev.  H.  S.  Kidd  became  pastor,  remaining  about  a  year.  The  members 
increased  in  1892  to  nearly  one  hundred  .  In  November,  1892,  Rev. 
W.  H.  Burlew  entered  the  pastorate.  A  parsonage  had  been  built. 
Mr.  Burlew  resigned  in  1894.  Rev.  William  B.  Crowell  settled  as  pastor 
in  1895.  A  mission  at  Harmony  was  begun  about  this  time.  Revival 
seasons  appeared  and  the  general  interests  of  the  Church  improved. 
Mr.  Crowell  having  been  pastor  nearly  three  years,  resigned  in  February, 
1899.  The  next  April  Rev.  E.  Fullaway  became  pastor.  Quinton 
Church  has  prospered. 

Located  in  a  rural  district,  tlie  outlook  for  its  increase  is  limited. 
But  alone  in  its  field,  it  will  be  responsible  for  making  known  the  way  of 
life  to  the  people  thereabouts.  With  little  prospects  of  a  large  member- 
ship, it  will  have  the  larger  opportunity  to  train  its  membership  for  a 
larger  part  in  the  Kingdom  of  God. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


BRIDGETON  IN    1828,   CEDARVILLE   IN    1836,   FLEMINGTON 
AND  OTHER  CHURCHES. 


Bridgeton  is  distant  three  or  four  miles  from  Roadstown.  Robert 
Kelsay,  pastor  of  ('ohansie  was  the  first  Baptist  to  preach  in  the  place, 
then  consisting  of  a  few  cabins  and  a  transient  population.  The  first 
house  of  worship  was  built  there  in  1792,  when  Bridgeton  gave  sign  of 
its  coming  position  as  a  county  seat.  Baptists  from  Bridgeton  could 
easier  get  to  Cohansie  and  the  need  of  a  Baptist  Church  in  Bridgeton 
was  not  as  necessary  then,  as  later.  An  early  planting  of  a  Baptist 
Church  was  therefore  delayed.  Pastor  Kelsay  had  also  nearly  reached 
his  eightieth  year  and  his  home  field  needed  all  of  his  strength. 

On  July  3rd,  1790,  Mr.  H.  Smalley  became  pa.stor  and  in  1797,  made 
a  regular  appointment  to  preach  in  the  Court  House  at  Bridgeton. 
Pastor  Smalley  continued  this  service  until  1816,  when  it  was  removed 
to  the  new  meeting  house  on  Pearl  street,  a  substantial  brick  building 
begun  in  1812.  The  preaching  was  in  the  afternoon  of  the  Lord's  day. 
At  a  meeting  in  this  hou.se  in  February,  1827,  resident  Baptists  agreed 
to  ask  letters  to  organize  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Bridgeton  having 
gotten  a  minister  as  conditioned  by  the  Cohansie  Church.  On  January 
Sth,  1828,  Cohansie  Church  gave  letters  to  thirty-eight  members,  who 
with  pa.stor  elect.  Rev.  George  Spratt,  M.  D.,  and  his  wife,  made  forty, 
were  constituted  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Bridgeton.  financial 
troubles  came  early  and  discord,  and  Dr.  Spratt  resigned  in  October, 
1830. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Harrison  settled  in  February,  1831.  Tokens  of  Divine 
ble.ssing  and  monthly  additions  by  baptism  for  two  years  caused  the 
indifference  and  discord  to  disappear.  One  memljer  was  licensed  to 
preach.  At  the  end  of  three  years,  in  March,  1834,  Mr.  Harrison  re- 
signed. In  December,  1834,  Rev.  M.  Frederick  became  pastor.  Mr. 
Frederick  was  an  exceptional  man  for  the  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
He  died  November  13th,  1837,  universally  beloved  both  in  the  Church 
and  in  the  community.  While  pastor  he  organized  a  Church  in  Cedar- 
ville.  In  his  pastorate  he  baptized  one  hundred  and  fifteen  converts. 
The  Church  numbering  eighty-seven  at  his  coming,  had  one  hunderd 
and  sixtv-six  when  he  died. 


BRIDGETON  59 

In  November,  1838,  llev.  C.  J.  Hopkins  settled  as  pastor.  Upon 
his  labors  the  Divine  blessing  rested.  Mission  work  at  home  and  abroad 
had  a  large  place  in  the  Church  under  his  influence.  Mr.  Hopkins  had 
eminent  social  gifts  and  was  as  much  beloved  as  was  Pastor  Frederick, 
and  yet  there  was  a  vast  difference  in  the  men.  His  predecessor  was 
not  a  "solemn  man"  in  the  common  sense,  but  a  religious  man  impressing 
others  that  while  there  were  other  things  in  the  world  beside  religion, 
they  were  insignificant,  lacking  the  savor  of  piety.  But  Mr.  Hopkins 
met  people  with  a  smile  and  rarely  failed  to  have  them  smile,  too.  He 
did  not  always  come  out  foremost  in  his  humor.  An  incident  happened 
in  Bridgeton  of  the  kind:  A  colored  man  asked  him  to  marry  him,  say- 
that  he  would  give  him  five  dollars  "  if  you  marry  me  as  you  do  white 
folks."  "Certainly  I  will."  They  came  and  were  married.  As  they 
were  leaving  and  as  nothing  had  been  said  of  the  "fee,"  Mr.  Hopkins 
said  to  the  man:  "You  said  you  would  give  me  five  dollars  if  I  married 
you  as  I  did  white  folks?"  "Yes."  "Ah!  Massa,  you  no  marry  me  as 
you  did  white  folks."  "Yes,  I  did."  "Ah!  Massa,  you  no  bus  the  brideW" 
None  would  more  appreciate  this  outcome  than  Mr.  Hopkins,  even  at 
the  cost  of  five  dollars.  During  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  a 
"lecture  and  social  meeting  room"  was  built  "down  town."  He 
resigned  in  September,  1S43,  much  against  the  wish  of  his  people. 

Great  as  was  the  unlikeness  between  Mr.  Frederick  and  his  successor 
it  was  no  more  so  than  between  Mr.  Hopkins  and  Rev.  C.  E.  Wilson,  his 
successor.  Mr.  Wilson  was  a  most  amiable  man,  more  modest  and  quiet 
than  otherwise.  Mr.  Hopkins  would  entertain  a  crowd;  Mr.  Wilson 
would  sit  aside  and  chat  in  monosyllables.  The  choice  by  Churches  of 
succeeding  pastors  is  one  of  the  curiosities  of  humanity.  Mr.  Wilson 
was  pastor  from  April,  1844,  to  May,  1852,  more  than  eight  years.  The 
second  longest  pastorate  the  Church  has  had.  His  oversight  was  a  con- 
tinuous prosperity.  He  was  one  of  the  men  whom  longer  and  better 
known  won  a  place  in  the  confidence  of  others.  He  was  a  man  to  be 
leaned  upon  and  was  always  found  where  he  ought  to  be. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Corn  well,  Sr.,  entered  on   his  pastoral  duties  in  July, 

1852.  Soon  after  Mr.  Corn  well's  coming,  the  increase  of  congregation 
made  it  necessary  to  build  a  larger  house  of  worship  and  in  February, 

1853,  it  was  decided  to  buy  "a  lot  in  as  central  a  location  as  possible." 
The  lot  on  which  the  First  Baptist  Church  edifice  stands  was  bought  the 
next  October.  A  decision  not  to  build  until  two-thirds  of  the  cost  was 
subscribed,  delayed  the  enterprise  until  June,  1854.  Pastor  Cornwell's 
happy  pastorate,  aboimding  in  good  to  the  Church  and  to  the  cause  of 
God,  lasted  only  four  j'ears,  to  July,  1856.  He  had  been  a  minister 
many  years  in  the  German  Reformed  Church,  preparing  a  sermon  on 


60  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

baptism,  he  failed  to  find  in  the  Scripture  authority  for  sprinkling  as  a 
mode  of  baptism  and  for  infant  baptism,  and  joined  a  Baptist  Church. 
Accepting  a  call  to  Princeton,  he  died  there  March  29th,  1857.  His 
successor  was  J.  S.  Kennard,  who  settled  in  January,  1857.  He  had 
been  ordained  in  his  home  Church  the  December  before.  On  September 
23rd,  1857,  the  new  house  of  worship  was  dedicated.  Mr.  Kennard 
resigned  his  charge  in  September,  1859. 

Rev.  J.  F.  Brown  succeeded  him  and  continued  until  March,  1868. 
The  Civil  War  had  begun  and  ended  in  these  years.  Homes,  families, 
parents,  sons  and  brothers  were  divided  A  nation  of  common  origin, 
allied  in  trade,  intercourse,  relationship,  government  and  in  natural 
interests  warred  upon  itself.  Religious  interests  suffered  more  than  any 
other.  Pastor  Brown  was  a  patriot  in  all  this  test  of  character  and  of 
principle.  In  his  pastorate  the  name  of  the  Church  was  changed  from 
Second  Cohansie  to  First  Baptist  Church  of  Bridgeton.  The  Pearl  street 
property  that  had  been  given  to  the  First  Baptist  Church  and  used  by 
them  for  twenty-nine  years  was  being  encompassed  by  a  large  popula- 
tion among  whom  were  many  Baptists,  and  the  question  of  a  second 
Baptist  Church  to  occupy  the  old  house  was  freely  discussed  until  on 
July  17th,  1866,  the  subject  having  been  decided,  sixty-six  Baptists 
were  dismissed  for  this  purpose,  and  were  recognized  as  a  Baptist 
Church  and  called  themselves  the  Pearl  street  Baptist  Church. 

This  was  the  second  Church  which  had  colonized  from  First  Bridge- 
ton.  In  1856,  the  Cedarville  Baptists  who  were  from  location  identified 
with  Baptists  interests  in  Bridgeton,  became  an  independent  body. 
Pastor  Brown  was  associated  with  other  Baptist  movements  in  South 
Jersey.  Two  movements  had  been  made  in  Salem  to  found  a  Baptist 
school.  Again  the  matter  was  under  advisement  and  Mr.  Brown  was 
chainnan  of  a  committee  of  the  West  New  Jersey  Association,  in  1865, 
to  locate  a  school.  The  school  was  located  at  Bridgeton  and  is  known 
as  the  South  Jersey  Institute. 

Mr.  Brown  was  followed  March  1st,  1872,  by  Rev.  E.  B.  Palmer. 
Mr.  Palmer  was  pastor  twelve  years.  The  longest  pastorate  the  Church 
has  had.  A  work  of  grace  was  enjoyed  in  the  winter  of  1872-3  when 
ninety-two  were  baptized  and  twenty-five  were  baptized  at  Pearl  Street 
Church.  A  sister  in  the  Church  gave  to  it  a  dwelling  house  that  cost 
sixteen  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Another  paid  for  the  lot  on  which 
the  brick  chapel,  had  been  built.  Two  were  licensed  to  preach  in  this 
pastorate.  One,  Mr.  C.  Keller,  with  his  fellow  German  members  united 
in  a  request  to  organize  them  into  a  mission.  Their  wish  was  complied 
with  and  they  used  the  chapel.  On  account  of  removals,  the  mi-ssion  failed. 
November  6th,  the  First  Church  paid  the  debt  of  Pearl  Street  Church, 


BRIDGETON  AND  CEDARVILLE  61 

incurred  by  needed  repairs.  Altogether  Pastor  Palmers  '  oversiglit  was 
characteristic  of  the  man,  a  workman  that  needed  not  to  be  ashamed. 
He  resigned  in  May,  1884,  In  their  letter  to  the  Association,  the  Church 
said:  "By  his  wise  councils  and  superior  ability,  by  his  faithful  devo- 
tion to  this  work  in  a  pasorate  of  more  than  twelve  years,  the  Church 
has  been  greatly  strengthened  both  in  temporalities  and  in  spirituali- 
ties." An  Anglo-Africo  Church  was  formed  about  1887,  but  did  not 
stay  long. 

Kev.  T.  G.  Cass  followed  Mr.  Palmer  and  was  pastor  from  1885-90. 
For  seven  years  from  1891  to  1898  Rev.  C.  C.  Tilley  ministered  to  the 
Church.  In  June,  1898,  Rev.  R.  A.  Ashworth  became  pastor,  resigning 
in  April,  1900.  The  next  July,  1900,  Rev.  C.  T.  Brownell  entered  the 
pastorate. 

Fourteen  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  Church,  of  whom,  one  died 
while  pastor;  one  served  twelve  years,  another  eight  years.  Early  in 
1831,  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Harrison,  the  Church  adopted  a  pledge  of 
total  abstinence  from  all  intoxicants  as  a  condition  to  membership. 
All  the  pastors  of  Cohansie,  except,  it  may  be,  Mr.  Brooks,  were  staunch 
Calvinists  and  the  Bridgeton  Church  was,  therefore,  foremost  in  whole- 
some Calvinistic  truth,  God  a  Sovereign;  man  fallen  and  lost,  and  under 
condemnation;  salvation  unmerited  and  wholly  of  grace,  the  highest 
inspiration  to  "good  works"  and  to  perseverance. 

Their  doctrinal  training  explains  the  foremost  place  New  Jersey 
Baptists  hold  in  education,  missions  and  all  other  good  causes.  Not 
only  those  of  New  Jersey ,  but  those  of  every  Christian  name  and  every- 
where. As  Bancroft  says:  "Calvinism  has  been  the  faith  of  those" 
who  have  originated  and  pushed  forward  the  enterprises  of  this  Christian 
era. 

The  original  constituents  of  Cohansie  Church  located  in  what  was 
known  as  "back  neck".  Coming  from  Ireland,  there  were  Welsh 
among  them  as  such  names  as  David  James  and  David  Thomas  indi- 
dicate.  They  removed  from  the  South  side  of  the  Cohansie  river  to  the 
North  side  and  were  the  constitutency  of  Cohansie  Church  in  1690. 
Thus  the  north  side  of  the  river  was  known  as  the  Baptist  side,  and 
the  south  side  of  it  as  the  Presbyterian  side.  One  hundred  and 
fifty  years  passed  ere  there  was  a  change  in  the  quiet  of  the  south 
side  by  a  Baptist  mission  at  Cedarville. 

Nathan  Lorrance,  of  Cedarville,  had  been  a  Presbyterian,  but, 
becoming  a  Baptist,  built  a  meeting  house.  He  died  in  1754  and  his 
"will"  gave  his  property  to  his  daughter,  excepting  "all  that  messuage 
called  Flying  Point,  save  one  acre,  where  the  Baptist  meeting  house 
now  standeth,  when  the  Baptist  members  that  liveth  on  the  South  side 


62  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  the  Cohansic  creek  shall  see  fit  to  take  it."  They  to  pay  a  certain 
sum  to  two  of  his  daughters.  This  daughter  was  Abigal  Elmer,  grand- 
mother of  Lucius  Elmer,  a  historian  of  Cumberland  county.  Mr. 
Lorrance's  daughter  married  the  son  of  a  Presbyterian  minister.  Bap- 
tists did  not  make  a  claim  on  the  meeting  house  and  it  and  the  lot  were 
sold  under  the  Elmer  title  in  1828.  Judge  Elmer  in  his  history  of  the 
county,  devotes  large  space  to  a  Presbyterian  preacher  in  that  county 
named  Osborn.  But  dismisses  Henry  Smalley,  pastor  of  Cohansie 
Baptist  Church  for  nearly  fifty  years,  the  oldest  Church  in  the  county 
into  which  Mr.  Smalley  had  received  seven  hundred  and  fifty  persons, 
iviih  less  than  a  line  of  print.  So  much  for  pedobaptist  prejudices,  and 
the  reliabilty  of  Presbyterian  histories  out  side  of  themselves.  "Schaff 
&  Herzog's  encyclopedia"  is  another  illustration  of  how  much  pedobap- 
tists  think  of  themselves  and  how  little  of  Baptists. 

In  1835,  Rev.  Mr.  Frederick,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at 
Bridgeton,  preached  at  Cedarville,  making  an  appointment  on  alternate 
weeks.  In  1836,  he  baptized  numerous  candidates  there,  they  uniting 
with  the  First  Bridgeton  Church.  The  Cedarville  Baptist  Church  was 
constituted  on  September  6th,  1836,  in  Butler  Newcomb's  woods  and 
had  thirty-one  constituents.  In  Cedarville,  was  a  "free"  meeting  house 
and  there  Mr.  Frederick  held  his  meeting  in  weather  unfit  for  outdoor 
service.  But  when  the  converts  developed  Baptist  proclivities,  the 
Presbyterians  closed  the  doors  of  the  "free"  house  of  worship.  Then, 
the  Baptists  secured  an  old  shoe  maker's  shop,  about  twelve  by  eighteen 
feet  and  held  their  meetings  in  it.  A  Sheriff's  sale  threw  a  lot  into  the 
market  which  Mr.  Lorrance  had  intended  to  give  for  a  Baptist  house  of 
worship,  but  which  after  his  death  was  otherwise  disposed  of.  The 
lot  had  a  short  time  before  been  sold  for  fourteen  dollars,  but  the 
Presbyterian  opposition  to  Baptists  made  it  cost  them  two  hundred 
dollars. 

Providentially,  the  woods'  meeting  in  1836  brought  Mr.  E.  D. 
Fendall  to  Cedarville.  He  was  induced  to  stay  and  held  the  meeting  for 
three  months.  Still  he  delayed  going  away  until  February,  1837.  In 
the  temporary  absence  of  Mr.  Fendall  from  the  field,  Mr.  William  H. 
Bingham  filled  the  gap  until  January,  1838.  Returning,  Mr.  P'endall 
was  ordained  in  1839  and  remained  four  years  till  December,  1842.  A 
house  of  worship  was  erected  in  1838.  Mr.  Henry  Wescott  was  a  resi- 
dent and  being  ordained  in  18-42,  ministered  in  that  year,  in  part  and 
was  pastor  from  March,  1843,  to  June,  1844.  Mr.  Ephraim  Sheppard 
and  a  brother-in-law  followed  preaching  at  Millville  and  at  Cedarville. 
Each  of  these  pastors  were  independent  of  the  salary  the  Church  could 
pay.     Pastor  Sheppard  remained  until  1846. 


BRIDGETON  AND  CEDAllTILLE  63 

Other  pastors  were  William  P.  Maul,  1847-53;  John  Todd,  lSr)3-.'37; 
the  last  serving  both  Millville  and  Cedarville,  each  ten  miles  distant 
from  the  other.  Mr.  Todd  walked  to  and  fro.  At  Cedarville,  while 
Mr.  Todd  was  pastor  the  debt  of  the  Church  was  paid,  the  Church 
edifice  repaired  and  a  parsonage   bought  and  nearly  paid  for. 

In  those  days.  Baptist  Churches  were  far  apart,  the  Convention 
Board  appointed  missionaries  with  a  roving  commission  to  large  and 
destitute  districts.  Mr.  Todd  was  assigned  a  field  stretching  from  Cape 
May  to  Long  Branch,  and  west  to  the  edge  of  "The  Pines." 

This  region  was  nearly  an  "unknown  land."  A  vast  wilderness, 
nearly  an  hundred  miles  long  and  forty  wide.  Thousands  of  people 
were  scattered  through  it.  Mr.  Todd  was  sent  to  carry  them  the  "mes- 
sage of  life,"  going  on  foot  from  cabin  to  cabin,  and  from  one  cluster  of 
homes  to  another.  I  recall  one  of  his  verbal  reports  to  the  Board.  How 
and  where  he  slept  at  times.  Once  he  asked  a  family  if  they  believed  in 
Jesus  Chri.st,  and  had  for  an  answer:  "Who  is  he?"  Another  replied 
to  the  queston :  "If  they  had  a  Bible?"  "What  is  that?"  Few  could 
have  endured  the  hardships  and  exposures  of  his  long  and  lonely  tramps, 
not  knowing  in  the  morning  where  he  might  be  at  night.  Some  times 
he  trampled  all  day,  not  seeing  hou.se  or  human  face,  and  then  slept 
under  the  trees,  contenting  himself  with  the  crust  which  he  carried  for 
an  emergency,  and  with  water  of  a  spring  or  brook.  His  sturdy  English 
body  stood  him  in  good  stead.  His  faith  in  God  and  love  for  souls  held 
him  firmly  to  his  Christ-like  work.  I  doubt  not  but  that  he  has  met  in 
Heaven,  many  who,  but  for  him,  would  never  have  heard  of  the  Saviour. 
Mr.  Todd  was  a  godly  and  true  man.  Caring  more  to  do  good  than  for 
personal  comfort.  An  example  of  the  host  of  the  good  and  useful,  of 
whom  the  world  never  hears,  but  who  will  be  among  the  chiefest  of  the 
Saints  on  high. 

There  were  other  devoted  men  whom  the  Convention  sent  out. 
commissioned  to  range  freely  in  wide  destitute  sections;  men  "who  en- 
dured as  seeing  Him  who  is  invisible,"  who  lighted  "the  lamp  of  life"  in 
many  a  dark  place  laying  the  foundations  on  which  those  who  came  on 
later  built. 

Additional  pastors  at  Cedarville  were:  E.  D.  Farr,  M.  D.,  1858-60; 
S.  L.  Cox,  1681-83;  E.  M.  Barker,  1863-70  (The  longest  pastorate  the 
Church  had  knoAvn  and  one  of  marked  advance.  The  Church  edifice 
was  moved  to  the  front  of  the  lot  and  enlarged);  G.  G.  Craft,  1871-72; 
W.  A.  Durfee,  1872-77  (A  new  Church  edifice  was  built  under  Pastor 
Durfee.);  a  period  of  depression  followed  one  of  expansion  and  Pastor 
Swinden,  1878-79,  realized  what  it  was  to  stem  the  ebb  tide. 


64  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

A  change  came  with  Pastor  W.  W.  Bullock.  Discord  yielded  to 
unity.  A  heavy  debt  was  paid  and  revival  blessings  appeared.  Mr. 
Bullock  was  pastor,  1880-84;  Mr.  T.  P.  Price  ministered,  1884-88;  Mr. 
A.  S.  Flock,  1888-95  (A  useful  charge  for  seven  years.);  Mr.  H.  S.  Kidd, 
1895-98;  Mr.  W.  T.  Pullen,  1898-1900. 

The  Church  has  had  sixteen  pastors.  But  one  of  them  remained 
eight  years.  A  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1838,  which  has  been  en- 
larged and  improved  as  it  needed  to  be.  In  1874,  a  large  and  costly 
house  of  worship  was  dedicated.  Heavy  debts  were  incurred  and  the 
only  trouble  the  Church  has  suffered  was  incurred.  Two  members  have 
been  licensed,  one  in  1842,  and  is  now  an  active  pastor  nearly  or  quite 
ninety  years  old  and  has  been  preaching  sixty-one  years. 

The  house  of  worship  on  Pearl  street,  Bridgeton,  which  gives  its 
name  to  the  Pearl  Street  Baptist  Church,  was  built  in  1816  by  the  Co- 
hansie  Church  and  was  the  place  of  the  ministry  of  Henry  Smalley  for 
twelve  years  and  the  home  of  the  First  Baptist  Bridgeton  Church  for 
twent3'-nine  years,  is  still  a  home  of  a  Baptist  Church,  having  been  stead- 
ily in  use  for  eighty-seven  years.  A  colony  of  sixty-six  members  were 
dismissed  by  First  Baptist  Church  to  worship  in  the  Pearl  Street  house 
and  that  body  called  itself  Pearl  Street  Baptist  Church.  Rev.  W.  R. 
McNeil  became  pastor  in  1867  and  the  membership  grew  to  two  hundred. 

The  old  house  was  rebuilt  in  1868.  The  debt  incurred  by  this 
repair  was  largely  paid  by  the  First  Church.  Pastor  McNeil  resigned 
in  1872  and  Rev.  B.  S.  Morse  followed  the  same  year  closing  his  work  as 
pastor  in  1874.  In  1875,  Pastor  A.  B.  McGowan  settled  as  pastor, 
remaining  till  1878,  when  Rev.  J.  E.  Ches.shire  followed,  who  retired 
the  next  year,  1879.  Rev.  S.  C.  Dare  became  pastor  in  1880,  serving 
until  1884.  Rev.  T.  R.  Taylor  began  his  charge  in  1884.  An  Anglo- 
Africo  Church  was  begun  by  the  joint  action  of  the  two  Churches  in 
1886  or  1887.  Mr.  Taylor  closed  his  pastorate  in  1887.  In  July,  1887, 
Mr.  McNeil  began  his  second  pastorate,  which  he  ended  in  June,  1891. 
The  same  year.  Rev.  C.  E.  Cordo  settled  as  pastor  and  resigned  in  1895. 
Three  months  after.  Rev.  E.  A.  Stone  became  pastor,  but  closed  his 
ministry  in  1899  and  on  January,  1900,  Rev.  F.  H.  Shermer  entered  the 
pastorate. 

The  Church  has  had  ten  pastors  in  thirty-four  years  of  its  life. 
But  one  remained  five  years  and  one  was  twice  pa.stor.  Two  members 
have  been  licensed  to  preach.  Inheriting  an  old  Church  edifice  that 
had  been  unused  for  some  years,  a  large  sum  was  necessary  to  restore  it 
and  to  add  to  it  modern  conveniences  and  appliances,  adapting  the 
building  to  the  uses  of  Christian  work.  A  large  proportion  of  this 
amount  the  First  Baptist  Church  provided. 


BRIDGETON  AND  GREENWICH  65 

The  Berean  Church  at  Bridgeton  was  organized  in  August,  1893, 
with  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  constituents.  Nearly  all  of  them 
were  dismissed  from  the  First  Baptist  Church.  The  next  November, 
Rev.  J.  J.  Pierson  was  called  and  became  pastor.  Immediate  measures 
were  adopted  to  build  a  house  of  worship,  which  was  dedicated  in  June, 
1895. 

Under  Mr.  Pierson,  large  accessions  by  baptism  and  by  letter  were 
made.  The  First  Baptist  Church  donated  to  the  Berean  Church,  a 
parsonage,  equipping  the  Church  for  a  larger  work.  Mr.  Pierson  had  a 
short  pastorate,  dying  on  January  18th,  1895,  within  two  years  of  enter- 
ing the  pastorate.  Previously  he  had  been  pastor  at  Woodbury  twelve 
years.  His  people  said  of  him:  "He  served  us  faithfully,  lovingly  and 
tenderly."  On  June  11th,  1895,  Rev.  G.  L.  Hart  settled  as  pastor.  The 
rapid  growth  of  the  Church  since  its  organization,  in  membership,  has 
continued  in  the  years  of  Pastor  Hart. 

Greenwich  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  Cohansie  river  and  south  of 
Roadstown,  the  site  of  the  Cohansie  Baptist  Church.  The  removal  of 
the  early  Baptist  settlers  to  the  other  side  of  the  Cohansie  river,  located 
them  nearer  to  Greenwich,  which  was  one  of  the  outstations  of  Cohansie 
Church.  Rev.  E.  D.  Fendall  had  business  relations  to  the  place  that 
took  him  there  in  1836  and  he  made  appointment  to  preach  in  the  school 
house.  A  temporary  residence  in  the  town  identified  him  with  the 
Baptist  movement  in  Cedarville,  in  1836-8.  Becoming  pastor  at  Cohan- 
sie, in  18-43,  special  revival  influences  reached  "Bacon's  Neck."  (An 
early  name,  from  an  early  settler.)  The  converts  united  with  Cohansie 
Church  at  Roadstown. 

In  1843,  a  house  of  worship  was  begun.  It  was  dedicated  the  next 
October.  Regular  services  were  held  in  this  house  for  five  years,  by. 
pastors  of  Cohansie  Church.  Then,  in  December,  1849,  the  Greenwich 
Baptist  Church  was  organized  with  forty-nine  constituents.  Of  these, 
forty-eight  were  dismissed  from  Cohansie  Church.  A  reorganization  is 
said  to  have  been  made  next  January.  Rev.  J.  R.  Murphey  was  the 
first  pastor,  until  September,  1852.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  George 
Young  for  a  year;  when  Rev.  H.  C.  Putman  settled  and  stayed  till  1857. 
Rev.  William  Maul  became  pastor  and  remained  for  almost  nine  years. 
Other  pastors  were:  A.  J.  Hay,  three  years;  S.  C.  Dare,  ten  years; 
T.  M.  Eastwood,  two  years;  J.  M.  Scott,  four  years;  W.  H.  Burlew, 
one  year;  W.  P.  Hile,  three  years;  E.  I.  McKeeycr,  four  years;  B.  B. 
Ware,  two  years;  W.  E.  Renolds,  1900.  Thirteen  pastors  have  filled 
the  office. 

In  1874,  under  Mr.  Dare,  the  house  of  worship  was  remodeled  and 
furnished  anew.  One  member  has  been  licensed  to  preach.  The  nar- 
5 


66  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

row  field  and  the  probable  limitation  of  residents  narrows  the  hope  of 
a  large  membership.  Nevertheless,  the  people  are  reliable  and  include 
elements  of  strength  and  companionship. 


'^*^ 


CHAPTER  V. 


HOPEWELL    IN    1715,    KINGWOOD    L\    1742, 
FLEMIXGTON    IN    1798. 


Hopewell  is  a  colony  of  Middletown  Chiirch.  Some  of  its  constit- 
uents were  from  Pencpack  Church,  Pcmisyhania.  Morgan  Edwards 
explains  and  says  of  Jonathan  Stout,  third  son  of  Richard  Stout,  of 
Holmdel,  a  constituent  of  Middletown  Church  and  who  emigrated  from 
Middletown  (Holmdel)  in  1706,  the  first  settler  of  Hopewell,  that  "six 
of  his  children  are  said  to  have  gone  to  Pennsylvania  for  baptism,  others 
were  baptized  here  (Hopewell),  in  aU  seven."  These  seven,  and  the  six, 
and  their  father  and  mother,  fifteen  were  the  constituents  of  Hopewel 
Church. 

The  Cliurch  was  organized  at  Mr.  Stout's  house,  April  23rd,  1715, 
and  worshipped  for  thirtj'-two  years  in  the  homes  of  the  Stouts.  The 
first  meeting  house  was  built  in  1747,  on  a  lot,  the  gift  of  John  Hart, 
Efeq.  Rev.  Oliver  Hart  was  pastor.  In  1790,  the  pastor  said:  "That 
from  first  to  last  half  of  the  members  had  been  of  that  name  (Stout)  and 
about  as  many  more  of  the  blood  of  the  Stouts,  who  had  lost  their 
name  by  marriage."  The  mother  of  Jonathan,  Penelope  Stout,  of 
Middletown,  lived  to  be  one  hundred  and  ten  years  old,  and  saw  her 
descendants  to  the  number  of  five  hundred  and  two  in  eighty-eight  3'ears. 
These  Baptists  were  Baptists.  They  went  to  Penepack,  a  long  distance, 
to  join  a  Baptist  Cliurch  rather  than  violate  their  convictions  of  truth 
and  duty.  Evidently  to  them  fellowship  wnth  error  was  something  more 
than  feeling.  Doubt  overhangs  the  early  ministry  at  Hopewell,  both 
at  to  who  they  were  and  as  to  the  time  of  their  ser\-ices.  IMr.  Edwards 
only  names  Messrs.  Simmons  and  Eaglesfield,  licentiates  as  preaching 
in  the  earliest  times. 

Kingwood  Church  had  been  organized  and  had  built  two 
houses  of  worship  before  1712.  TMiile  Hopewell  had  not  built  its  own, 
as  stated  by  Mr.  Edwards  and  he  adds  "that  Rev.  Joseph  Eaton,  of 
Pennsvivania,  preached  montlily  at  HopeweU  for  fifteen  years.  After 
him.  Rev.  Thomas  Da\^s,  of  Great  Valley,  Pennsylvania,  was  pastor  for 
years  and  Rev.  Mr.  Carmen  of  Hightsto^-n,  Rev.  Mr.  Miller,  of  Scotch 
Plains,  and  Mr.  Bonham  for  two  years.  "Glorious  years  were  they, 
fiftv'-five  converts  joined  the  Church  and  a  meeting  house  was  built." 
Thirty-three  years  had  gone  when  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton  settled  as  pastor. 


68  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

in  April  17th,  1874,  and  was  ordained  on  November  29th,  1748.  His 
pastorate  continued  until  July  4th,  1772,  when  he  died  in  his  forty- 
seventh  year. 

Of  Mr.  Eaton,  Mr.  Edwards  writes:  "He  was  the  son  of  the  afore- 
mentioned Joseph  Eaton,  of  Montgomery,  Pennsylvania,  and  united 
with  the  South  Hampton  Church  in  early  life  and  there  commenced  a 
licentiate  in  Divinity,  at  the  same  time  with  Mr.  Oliver  Hart.  He  and 
Mr.  I.  Eaton  were  buried  in  the  meeting  house  (at  Hopewell).  At  the 
head  of  his  grave,  close  to  the  base  of  the  pulpit,  is  set  up  by  his  congre- 
gation a  piece  of  fine  marble  with  this  inscription: 

To  the  front  of  this  are  Deposited  the  Remains 
of  the  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton,  A.  M.,  who,  for  upwards 
of  twenty-six  years,  was  pastor  of  this  church;  from 
the  care  of  which  he  was  removed  by  death,  on  the 
4th  of  July,  1772,  in  the  47th  year  of  his  age. 

In  him,  with  grace  and  emineniie,  did  shine 
The  man,  the  Christian,  scholar,  and  divine. 
His  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Samuel  Jones,  who  speaks  of 
him  to  the  following  effect:  (Which  I  choose  to  transcribe  partly 
for  fear  my  affection  would  lead  me  to  extravagence  and  partly  because 
I  cannot  do  the  business  well.)  "The  natural  endowments  of  his  mind 
the  improvements  of  these  by  the  accomplishments  of  literature;  his 
early  and  genuine  piety;  his  ability  aa  a  divine  and  a  preacher;  his  ex- 
tensive knowledge  of  men  and  books;  his  Catholicism  would  afford  scope 
to  flourish  in  a  funeral  oration,  etc.,  but  it  is  needless."  When  it  is 
recalled  who  Rev.  Samuel  Jones  was  and  who  the  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton  was, 
these  were  not  words  of  extravagent  laudation. 

"Mr.  Eaton  founded  the  first  Bapti.st  school  on  the  continent  for 
the  education  of  youths  for  the  ministry."  "Rev.  Messrs.  Thomas 
Curtis,  John  Anderson,  Joseph  Powell,  John  Blackwell,  Charles  Thomp- 
son, John  Gano,  born  in  Hopewell,  July  22nd,  1727."  The  writer 
copied  these  items  from  the  old  minute  book  of  First  Hopewell.  John 
Gano  called  to  exercise  his  gifts  November  19,  1752,  and  did  so  on 
January  20th,  1753;  licensed  April  14th,  1753;  ordained  May  29th,  1754. 
Hezekiah  Smith,  the  Baptist  Apostle  to  New  England,  licensed  October 
12th,  17G2.  James  Manning,  founder  of  Brown  University,  and  John 
Sutton,  his  co-worker  in  locating  Brown  University.  Other  men  also 
foremost  in  politics,  law,  merchandise,  cabinet  councils  and  military 
affairs  were  graduates  of  Hopewell  school  which  was  founded  in  1756. 
It  was  a  foremost  center  of  education  and  it  was  an  extreme  of  folly  to 
remove  it  to  Rhode  Island.  The  denoniination  has  suffered  irreparable 
losses  by  its  closing. 


HOPEWELL  69 

Mr.  Eaton  was  one  of  the  worlds'  great  men;  not  alone  in  his  nat- 
ural endowments  and  culture,  but  as  much  in  the  appreciation  of  the 
claims  of  the  future  upon  him  and  of  his  relations  to  that  future.  His 
forecast  in  founding  a  school  of  universal  qualities,  and  also,  his  choice  of 
location,  the  heart  of  the  country,  the  center  of  its  wealth  and  of  its 
social  forces,  amid  the  men  of  the  only  Baptist  Association  in  the  coun- 
try and  in  a  colony  of  the  largest  liberties,  having  guarantees  in  its  sett- 
lers, "Friends"  and  Baptists,  unlike  other  colonies.  Mr.  Eaton's  wife 
was  "Rebecca  Stout"  and  she  may  have  influenced  his  coming  to  the 
church  where  his  father  had  ministered  so  long. 

Morgan  Edwards  is  quoted  anew;  "There  have  been  remarkable 
revivals  in  this  church.  In  1747,  fifty-five  were  baptized;  in  1764,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-three  converts  were  added  and  in  1775-6,  one  hun- 
dred and  five  united  with  the  church.  A  parsonage  lot  in  1773  and 
additional  land  for  the  parsonage  farm  increasing  it  to  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  acres."  This  was  in  the  American  Revolutionary  war,  and 
indicates  ample  "means."  Since  the  church  has  deserted  the  Gospel  of 
grace,  the  church  has  lost  ground.  Some  of  its  best  families  have  gone 
into  other  denominations  and  instead  of  being  a  fruitful  mother,  en- 
compassed liy  efficient  churches,  lives  alone,  barren,  a  stone  of  stiunbling 
and  a  sorrow  to  every  evangelical  churcli  of  the  kingdom  of  God;  deny- 
ing itself  any  of  the  activities  of  Godliness  among  the  children  which  it 
has  disfellowshipped.  Nevertheless,  Hopewell  is  historic  ground,  a  Bap- 
tist "Mecca." 

Just  across  the  street  in  front  of  the  church  edifice,  there  stood  a 
mounting  block,  consisting  of  a  large  stone  six  feet  long,  four  feet  wide, 
set  on  .stone  mason  work  three  feet  high,  used  especially  by  ladies  in  dis- 
mounting and  mounting  their  horses  as  they  came  to  or  left  church. 
The  top  of  the  stone  was  reached  by  steps. 

Sunday,  April  23,  1775,  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  reached 
Hopewell  while  the  peoplewere  worshipping  in  the  First  Baptist  Church. 
At  the  close,  Joab  Houghton,  standing  on  this  block,  inspired  the  men 
with  love  of  liberty  and  desire  for  independence.     In  closing  he  said: 

"Men  of  New  Jersey,  the  Red  Coats  are  murdering  our  brethren  of 
New  England.     Who  follows  me  to  Boston?" 

Every  man  an.swered  "I!" 

Mr.  Houghton  was  chosen  leader  of  a  party  of  volunteers  who  later 
left  for  Boston,  the  scene  of  the  war. 

October  19,  1776,  he  was  made  a  captain,  and  March  15,  1777,  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel.  Colonel  Houghten  was  afterwards  a  member  of  the 
first  Legislature  of  the  State  in  1784  and  1787,  and  also  of  the  Baptist 
Church.     Died,  1796. 


70  N'EW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  IIISIXMIY 

"As  a  luoinorial  of  him  ami  those  events,  this  block  was  erected 
July  Uh.  1S'.)0,  by  the  people  of  Hopewell." 

The  block  was  dressei.1  in  evergreen,  anil  vipon  it  rested  a  beauti- 
ful wreath  of  inunortelles,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  D.  S.  Davis,  a  lineal  desceml- 
ant  of  .lohu  Hart. 

Houghton's  daughter  Alice,  married  Conant  Cone,  and  became  the 
mother  of  Spencer  Houghton  Cone,  born  in  Son^erset  county,  who  was 
in  turn,  teacher,  actor,  soldier  in  the  war  of  1S12,  editor,  and  finally  be- 
came a  distinguished  Baptist  minister  in  America  in  his  time. 

Here  in  Hopewell  lived  that  distinguished  benefactress,  Elizabeth 
Hobbs,  who  gave  £350  (,$1,750)  for  the  education  of  pious  young  men 
for  the  ministry.  This  was  supposed  at  the  time  to  be  the  largest  legacy 
left  by  anyone  for  this  purpose  in  the  Baptist  ilenomination.  Isaac 
Eaton  and  John  Hart,  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Imlependenee,  were 
her  executors,  and  they  aided,  out  of  this  fimd,  Charles  Thompson,  wlm 
graduated  in  a  class  of  Rhode  Island  College. 

These  arc  memorials  of  this  couple  in  the  grave  yard  at  Hopewell: 

In  memory  of  John  Hobbs,  who  departed  this  life  June  G,  in  1701 .  in 
the  S5th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  a  great  Historian  and  Mathema- 
tician, and  a  pious,  meek,  humble,  and  exemplary  Christian. 

In  memory  of  Eli/.abetli  Hobbs,  widow  of  John  Hobbs,  who  died 
March  20,  1707,  aged  u pirardii  of  SO  years.  She  left  a  handsome  legacy 
towards  the  education  of  pious  young  men  for  tlie  ministry  of  tlie  Bap- 
tist denomination. 

Burgess  Allison,  founder  of  Bordentown  school,  w^as  a  beneficiary 
of  this  fund.  He  graduated  from  Brown  University  and  opened  school 
at  Borilentown  in  177S.  He  was  a  Baptist  pastor  at  Jacobstown 
church  for  twenty-five  years. 

From  Hopewell  graduateil  many  of  tlie  foremost  ministers  of  tlie 
Baptist  ilenomination.  From  Bordentown  school  also,  came  some  of 
our  eminent  pastors.  These  schools  were  also  throngeil  by  profes- 
sioniil  men  as  well  as  prospective  clergymen.  They  included  various 
courses  of  study.  Mr.  lOdwards  gives  the  names  of  graduates,  eminent 
in  position  imder  the  government ,  in  law,  in  medicine,  and  merehan- 
di.<ie.  Years  passed  ere  Ueverend  Benjamin  Cole  settled  at  Hopewell 
in  Octoln-r,  1771.  while  pastor  the  third  great  re\  ival  oeeurred  and 
one  hundred  and  live  converts  were  baptized.  Mr.  Cole  resigned  in 
the  spring  of  1770. 

Kev.  Oliver  Hart  followed  in  December,  17S0.  lie  may  have 
been  one  of  the  Hopewell  Hart  family.  Ho  was  a  fellow  student 
with  Isaac  F^aton  and  was  licensed  by  the  same  church  and  began 
preaching  as  had  Mr.  Eaton.     Mr.  Hart  going  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  and 


HOPEWELL  71 

was  pastor  there  for  thirty  years.  He  remained  pastor  at  Hopewell 
till  his  death  in  1795,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  Mr.  Edwards 
writes  of  him:  "All  I  shall  .say  is,  that  he  is  the  fittest  man  I  know  to 
succeed  Mr.  Eaton."  The  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  .Association, 
1706,  page  323,  have  this  record  of  Mr.  Hart:  "It  has  plea.sed  God,  in 
the  year  past  to  remove  that  burning  and  shining  light,  Rev.  Oliver 
Hart  of  Hopewell,  X.  J." 

In  1796,  Rev.  James  Ewing  followed  Mr.  Hart  in  the  charge  of 
Hopewell  church.  His  pastorate  terminated  with  his  death  in  1806,  at 
the  ago  of  fifty-two  years.  One  hundred  and  fifty-one  were  baptized 
in  his  pastorate  at  Hopewell.  In  1807,  Rev.  John  Boggs  became  pa.stor. 
He  held  the  office  till  he  died  in  1846,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six. 

The  account  of  First  Hopewell  might  close  here;  since  in  1835, 
First  and  Second  Hopewell  and  Kingwood  withdrew  from  the  central 
Baptist  As.sociation,  identifying  them.selves  with  an  Antinomian  body. 
Kingwood  is  followed  by  Baptisttown.  Second  Hopewell  and  Kingwood 
are  extinct.  Kingwood  was  pre-eminent  among  Baptist  churches  as  a 
Missionary  church.  It  is  only  a  question  of  time,  when  First  Hopewell 
will  be  extinct.  This  wreck  was  under  the  pa.storate  of  Mr.  Boggs. 
He  had  written  circular  letters  published  in  the  Association  minutes, 
exhorting  the  churches  to  sustain  missions,  only  a  short  time  before  he 
piloted  the  church  to  ruin.  He  was  a  terrific  contrast  to  former  pastors 
An  only  explanation  of  his  course  was:  that  he  had  come  to  a  premature 
dotage  and  by  his  imbecUity  belied  his  former  teaching,  and  the  whole 
record  of  First  Hopewell  and  accepted  the  teachings  of  Beebe,  Gobel  and 
their  kin,  in  the  place  of  those  of  the  Son  of  God,  whose  last  words  on 
earth  were:  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world.  And  they  went  forth  and  preached 
everywhere."  Such  is  the  sorrowful  fact  of  First  Hopewell  church. 
Virtually  it  is  the  only  one  of  its  kind,  left  in  New  Jersey.  Nominally 
there  are  one  or  two  others  sustained  by  First  Hopewell. 

But  despite  its  glorious  record,  for  sixty-five  years,  it  has  been 
dwindling.  Churches  of  other  denominations  have  absorbed  its  fami- 
lies and  grown  strong  through  its  lack  of  Gospel  power.  Isaac  Eaton, 
Oliver  Hart,  the  Stouts  and  Hautons  and  Blackwells,  could  they  know 
of  the  ruin  that  has  come  to  the  work  of  their  lives,  would  be  filled  with 
shame.  In  colonial  days  as  many  as  five  of  the  chief  institutions  of 
learning  in  America  were  within  a  circuit  of  twenty  miles  of  Hopewell. 
This  eminence  of  educational  facilities,  and  the  colonial  guarantees  by 
l)oth  Baptist  and  Quaker  proprietors  gave  to  New  Jersey  the  assurance 
to  all  settlers,  of  the  precious  boon  of  civil  and  of  religious  freedom  and 
of  the  freest  opportunity  for  expansion  in  all  helpful  directions.  A 
further  type  of  the  case  of  the  people  in  this  vicinity  is   that   nine 


72  NEW  JERSEY  BAPSIST  HISTORY 

United  States  Senators;  three  nominees  for  the  Vice  Presidency  of  the 
United  States;  two  Governors  of  New  Jersey:  four  Chancellors  of  the 
State  and  five  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  were 
natives  of  this  neighborhood. 

It  is  the  prayer  of  Baptists  that  the  venerable  First  Hopewell 
church  will  return  to  her  "first  love"  again,  be  happy  in  him  who 
went  about  doing  good.  A  glorious  past,  is  to  her  a  robe  of  white, 
except  as  it  has  been  soiled  by  associations  and  which  darkens  her  future. 
When  again,  she  incorporates  the  last  commission  of  our  Lord  into  her 
activities,  we  will  rejoice  together  in  her  "walking  with  God." 

Of  the  beginning  of  Baptist  interests  at  Kingwood  (Baptisttown) 
Morgan  Edwards,  writes: "  For  the  origin  of  this  church,  we  must  look 
back  to  1722.  When  the  tract  began  to  be  settled  by  persons,  some  of 
whom  were  Baptists;  five  of  them.  Three  other  Baptists  came,  in 
1734.  Mr.  Thomas  Curtis,  a  licentiate  and  a  student  at  Hopewell  (poss- 
ibly a  licentiate  of  Hopewell  church).  At  Kingwood  he  and  the  aforesaid 
Baptists  built  a  small  meeting  house.  The  first  fruits  of  his  ministry 
went  to  Hopewell  for  baptism.  In  17-48,  James  and  John  Bray  and  his 
wife,  members  of  Middletown  (living  at  Holmdel),  sons  of  John  Bray 
who  built  the  third  house  of  worship  and  parsonage  at  Holmdel  in  1705, 
arrived,  which  increased  their  number  to  twelve  souls.  Mr.  Curtis 
visited  the  lower  part  of  the  township  (now  Kingwood)  where  another 
meeting  house  was  built  in  1741  on  the  spot  where  the  present  one 
stands.  Here  five  were  baptized  by  Rev.  Joseph  Eaton  of  Hopewell. 
His  next  converts  in  the  lower  tract  were  baptized  by  Rev.  Thomas 
Davis,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Eaton  at  Hopewell.  This  increased  the 
Baptists  to  twenty-two  and  made  them  think  of  becoming  a  dis- 
tinct society.  Having  obtained  release  from  Hopewell  they  were 
constituted   a  church  July  31st,  1742. 

Mr.  Curtis  was  ordained  for  pastor  October,  1745.  He  died  in 
April,  1749.  Mr.  Edwards  says  of  him:  "He  was  a  steady  man  and  re- 
markable for  peace  making.  This  church  speaks  of  him  to  this  day  (Jan- 
uary, 1790)  -nath  great  veneration."  Well  they  might.  Upon  his 
coming  to  them  he  devoted  himself  to  tlieir  spiritual  welfare.  Preacli- 
ing,  maintaining  meetings  and  building  houses  of  worship.  He  was  a 
devoted  disciple  of  the  Holy  One.  Sabbatarians  and  Dunkards  were 
church  members,  and  as  a  peace  maker  he  must  have  been  busy.  Both 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  and  Dunkards  (feet  washing  Baptists)  had  colo- 
nies nearby  and  were  aggressive  to  win  proselytes.  More,  in  the  seven- 
teenth and  eighteenth  centuries,  new  things  of  doctrine  and  of  opinion 
were  welcomed  by  good  people  as  never  before.  It  was  a  formative 
period.     Luther,  Calvin  and  Armenius  were  making  new  formulas  and 


KINGWOOD  73 

theories  of  all  kinds  were  mooted  everywhere.  America  was  a  refuge  for 
all  dissentients  from  other  dissentients  and  authorities,  civil  and 
religious.  An  immense  mixture  of  extreemists  and  positive.sts  inxhe 
religionists  coming  hither  and  the  new  element  of  liberty  to  think  and 
to  teach,  tended  to  a  wider  divergence.  Baptists  have  cause  for  grati- 
tude, both,  that  the  New  Testament  was  our  sole  authority  for  duty 
and  for  instruction;  that  our  ministers  could  thereby  command  and 
control  these  elements  of  contradiction  and  settle  the  foundations  of 
our  churches  on  a  scriptural  basis. 

Then  as  now,  liberty  drifted  into  the  license  of  unrestrained  opinion. 
Liberty  of  opinion  is  the  most  lawless  of  human  rights.  Since  it  has 
only  the  moral  limit  of  the  right  to  think  and  to  believe  that  which  it  is 
right  to  think  and  to  believe  and  one  nmst  determine  for  him.self  what 
is  right  to  think  and  to  believe.  The  Scriptures  being  the  only  authority 
on  all  moral  questions  of  right  and  wrong.  Mr.  M.  Bonham  followed 
Pastor  Curtis  and  was  ordained  in  1749.  Rumors  affecting  his  morality 
resulted  in  his  exclusion  from  the  church. 

After  many  years  Rev.  David  Sutton  entered  the  pastorate  in 
in  1764,  remaining  till  August,  1783  and  proved  himself  sent  of  God. 
Morgan  Edwards  says  of  him:  "He  has  often  been  compared  to  Nathan- 
iel of  whom  it  was  said,  there  was  no  guile  in  him.'  "  Mr.  Sutton  was  a 
son  of  John  Sutton,  a  con.stituent  of  Scotch  Plains  church.  He  was  a 
mi.ssionary  pastor.  In  1764,  the  year  of  his  settling  at  Kingwood,  he 
made  an  appointment  at  Flemington  and  no  doubt  influenced  Messrs. 
Lowry  and  Eddy  to  give  in  1765,  (the  next  year)  the  lots  on  which  to 
build  a  Baptist  meeting  house;  he  secured  the  erection  of  the  house  o( 
worship  in  1766,  within  two  j'ears  of  his  coming  to  Kingwood  and  in 
his  long  charge  at  Kingwood,  nearly  twenty  years  preached  in  the 
house  at  Flemington.  He  was  thus  the  first  Baptist  preacher  at  Fleming- 
ton  and  laid  the  foundation  for  the  later  growth  of  Baptist  interests  there. 

Mr.  Sutton's  successors  at  Kingwood  preached  at  Flemington, 
until,  and  long  after  the  organization  of  the  Flemington  church.  That 
body  owes  all  it  is  to  this  wonderful  man.  In  November,  1784,  Rev. 
N.  Cox  settled  as  pastor.  But  in  April,  1790,  he  became  aUniversalist; 
had  he  been  content  with  this,  none  would  question  his  liberty  to  change 
his  views  of  truth  and  duty.  He  did,  however,  what  he  could  to  destroy 
the  church  and  get  possession  of  the  house  of  worship.  The  people 
repudiated  him  and  he  was  excluded  from  the  church. 

The  next  five  years  was  a  period  of  discouragement.  In  October, 
1795,  Rev.  G.  A.  Hunt  became  pastor,  remaining  eleven  years,  when  he 
quietly  disappeared  in  another  evangelical  denomination.  Like  Mr. 
Sutton  and  Mr.  Cox,  Mr.  Hunt  had  a  regular  appomtment  in  Fleming- 


74  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY. 

ton,  agreeing  when  he  settled  at  Kingwood  to  give  one  third  of  his  labor 
and  time  to  Flemington.  He  baptized  several  in  Flemington  who  did 
not  join  Kingwood  church  and  in  1798,  ten  members  of  Kingwood, 
with  those  lately  baptized  at  Flemington,  were  organized  into  the 
Flemington  church.  Mr.  Hunt  supplied  the  Flemington  church  to  the 
close  of  his  charge  at  Kingwood  in  180G  or  7.  Rev.  James  McLaughlin 
followed  Mr.  Hunt  at  Kingwood  for  one  year.  Resigning  at  Kingwood, 
in  1809,  he  preached  alternately  at  Kingwood  and  at  Flemington  until 
1811.  When  leaving  Flemington,  he  limited  himself  to  Kingwood, 
resigning  at  the  end  of  the  year.  In  1813,  Rev.  Jolm  Ellis  entered  the 
pastorate  at  Kingwood,  continuing  until  1817.  All  of  these  pastors 
suffered  from  the  blight  left  upon  the  church  by  Mr.  Cox  and  his  attempt 
to  destroy  its  evangelism. 

In  the  spring  of  1818,  Rev.  David  Bateman  accepted  a  call  to  be 
pastor.  In  1819,  another  church  edifice  was  built  (the  fourth  or  fifth) 
three  miles  southeast  of  Baptisttown.  For  the  next  two  years  more 
than  one  hundred  converts  were  baptized.  A  year  or  more  passed,  when 
again  there  was  an  extensive  revival  and  many  were  added  to  the 
cliurch  by  baptism.  Mr.  Bateman  was  pastor  till  his  death  on  August 
10th,  1832,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  His  death  was  a  providential 
mystery.  As  pastor  and  preacher,  he  had  few  superiors.  A  "supply" 
ministered  after  Mr.  Bateman's  death  and  later  became  pastor  foi 
about  six  months. 

In  October,  1834,  Rev.  J.  W.  Wigg  became  pastor.  Soon  Anti- 
nomianism  caught  root  in  Kingwood  church.  Beebe,  the  anti-mission 
and  anti-temperance  apostle  with  his  allies,  Gobel,  Housel  and  others, 
took  advantage  of  a  new  pastor  and  prevailed  against  the  Christian 
activities  of  those  times  and  forcing  action  whereby  the  timid  and  in- 
active members  were  overborne.  Under  Mr.  Bateman,  this  element 
had  been  restrained.  But  the  onslaught  of  the  Antinomians  having  won 
victory  in  North  Jersey  and  had  broken  up  the  Warwick  Association, 
was  very  fierce  and  the  pastor  of  First  Hopewell,  John  Boggs,  yielded  to 
these  foes  of  righteousness  and  joined  in  the  iniquity,  so  that  First  and 
Second  Hopewell  and  Kingwood  churches  were  swept  from  their 
foundations  on  the  Gospel  and  in  1835, withdrew  from  the  "Central 
Baptist  Association  and  united  with  an  antinomian  body."  Mr.  Wigg 
did  what  he  could  to  save  the  name  and  honor  of  Kingwood  churcli. 

In  1838,  Mr.  Wigg  was  appointed  to  write  the  circular  letter  of  the 
Anti-mission  Association,  the  theme  of  which  was:  "The  importance 
of  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  Scriptures."  This  letter  was  re- 
jected by  the  Association  as  being,  ''Truth  unguarded."  Such  people 
had  no  use  for  the  Bible!     An  invitation  by  Pastor  Wigg  to  Evangelist 


KINGWOOD  75 

F.  Ketchum  to  hold  a  "Protracted  meeting"  brought  matters  to  a 
head.  At  the  next  church  meeting  it  was  Resolved:  That  from  this 
time  on,  Elder  Wigg  is  dismissed  from  being  pastor  of  this  church,  in 
consequence  of  his  departure  from  the  doctrines  and  practices  of  this 
church  and  his  taking  liberties  with  the  church,  which  she  never  gave 
him,  we  are  therefore  destitute  of  a  pastor  and  from  this  day  he  will 
not  be  expected  in  either  house." 

A  large  stone  house  of  worship  had  formerly  been  built  in  a  village 
in  the  field  of  the  church.  Pastor  Wigg  went  on  a  Lord's  Day  to 
preach  in  this  building  and  he  was  locked  out.  This  incident  gave  the 
name  of  "Locktown"  to  the  village.  At  the  meeting  in  which  Mr.  Wigg 
was  put  out  of  the  pastorship,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  "examine 
preachers  and  to  admit  none  to  preach,  but  those  in  fellowship  with  the 
Delaware  River  Baptist  Association."  The  Son  of  God,  the  New 
Testament,  and  the  Gospel  were  thus  shut  out.  This  is  Antinomianism. 
At  the  same  meeting,  fifty  members  were  suspended  for  sympathizing 
with  Pastor  Wigg,  who  was  excluded  from  the  church.  As  an  anti- 
nomian  party  they  claimed  both  houses  of  worship." 

Those  adhering  to  the  old  faith  and  to  Baptist  practice  now  set  them- 
selves about  organizing  a  new  Kingwood  Baptist  church  and  building 
a  house  of  worship.  On  April  14th,  1839,  sixty  members  of  the  original 
Kingwood  church  and  fifty-two  converts  recently  baptized,  in  all,  on.^ 
hundred  and  twelve  disciples  renewed,  "The  Missionary  particular  Bap- 
tist church  of  Baptisttown."  The  disappearance  of  the  late  Kingwood 
Baptist  church  was  restored  by  a  Kingwood  Baptist  church,  which 
alone  could  claim  the  glorious  record  of  former  years. 

The  houses  of  worship  of  the  lost  Kingwood  church  have  been 
dumb  and  are,  save  as  the  pastor  of  First  Hopewell  occasionally  preaches 
at  Locktown.  The  other  is  a  dwelling  house  and  thus  has  life  in  it, 
or  is  rotting  down.  How  different  the  end  from  the  beginning  of  the 
former  Kingwood!  Within  forty  years  of  its  organization,  the  pastor's 
salary  was  five  hundred  dollars  and  a  parsonage  of  seventy  acres.  An 
income  then  equal  to  that  given  by  our  wealthiest  churches.  It  had 
built  five  houses  of  worship  if  not  six.  One  of  them  at  Flemington, 
in  1766,  it  had  licensed  four  members  to  preach  and  been 
the  mother  of  four  churches:  Mt.  Olive,  1753;  KnoUton,  1763; 
Flemington,  1798;  Bethlehem,  1831,  and  had  sent  many  constitu- 
ents to  Sandy  Ridge,  and  a  majority  of  the  constituents  of  both 
Second  Hopewell  and  Croton;  paying  one  half  the  cost  of  a  deserted 
meeting  house  in  Croton  and  Baptisttown,  1839-40.  Few  Baptist 
churches  in  New  Jersey  exceed  Kingwood  in  its  mission  work  in 
behalf  of   humanity.     Since  "the   Shadow  of   Death"   has  fallen   on 


7G  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Kins^wood  in  1835,  the  withering  process  has  not  stayed.  It  is 
a  "waste". 

The  later  organization  retained  the  old  name,  Kingwood,  and 
built  their  meeting  house  at  Baptisttown,  inducing  afterward  a  change 
of  name  to  Bapti.sttown.  Baptisttown  was  a  link  to  Middletown.  John 
and  James  Bray  lived  at  Baptisttown  (now  Holmdel)  when  the  sons 
moved  to  Hunterdon  county,  they  named  their  place  Bapti.sttown,  in 
memory  of  the  old  place  where  they  had  lived.  Mr.  Wigg  was  called 
to  be  pa.stor  of  the  later  Kingwood,  resigning  his  charge  in  1841.  In 
these  two  years  he  welcomed  twenty-five  by  baptism  into  the  church. 
His  successor  was  an  unworthy  man  and  was  excluded  in  1842.  Rev. 
E.  Haydock  stipplied  the  church  for  two  years  and  then  he  became 
pastor.  In  1844,  Rev.  C.  Fox  began  his  charge  remaining  until  1850. 
While  pastor,  a  company  of  nine  members  were  dismissed  who  with 
others  constituted  the  Cherry\alle  church. 

Upon  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Cox,  Rev.  Thomas  Barrass  was  called. 
Mr.  Barrass  was  much  beloved  and  had  a  happy  and  useful  pastorate. 
Flemington  could  thus  make  some  glad  returns  to  its  mother  church. 
Mr.  Barrass  resigned  in  October,  1861.  In  the  spring  of  1861,  twenty- 
two  members  were  dismissed  to  be  constituents  for  Croton  church.  Re- 
newed Kingwood  seems  to  have  retained  the  aggressive  force  of  its  old 
time  energy  and  to  keep  up  its  usefulness. 

November,  1861,  Rev.  A.  Armstrong  settled  in  the  pastorate.  For 
many  years,  pastors  of  Kingwood  had  preached  at  Frenchtown.  The 
State  Convention  Board  from  1859  had  occupied  the  river  shore  towns, 
by  its  missionaries.  Under  the  oversight  of  Rev.  Messrs.  G.  Penny 
and  of  W.  D.  Hires,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  in  Frenchtown  and 
dedicated  in  December,  1861.  Whereupon,  Mr.  Armstrong  seeing  his 
opportunity  included  Frenchtown  in  his  field,  preaching  there  each 
week.  After  five  years,  he  resigned  and  took  steps  to  settle  at  French- 
town.  Kingwood  numbered  one  hundred  and  forty-two  members;  of 
these  seventy-six  took  letters  to  constitute  a  church  at  Frenchtown. 

This  was  a  serious  blow  to  Kingwood.  But  its  inherent  vitality 
restored  it.  Rev.  Samuel  Sproul  occupied  the  pastorate  in  April,  1867 
Special  revivals  attended  his  labors.  A  parsonage  was  built  in  1870, 
and  Mr.  Sproul  closed  a  most  acceptable  pastoral  charge  of  seven  years. 
Parting  with  him  was  a  real  cause  of  grief,  sharing  with  Mr.  Barrass  in 
the  tender  sympathies  of  his  people.  With  other  supplies  was  Rev.  W. 
E.  Watkinson  who  settled  as  pastor  in  April,  1875.  He  reaped  well, 
closing  his  charge  in  November,  1881.  Rev.  George  Young  en- 
tered the  pastorate  of  two  years  and  gave  way  to  his  son,  G.  B. 
Young,  in  1884.     During  the  labors  of  the  son  the  grounds  were  im- 


KINGWOOD  AND  FRENCHTOWN  77 

proved  and  sheds  were  built  to  shelter  the  beasts  that  brought  the 
people  to  the  house  of  God,  from  storm  and  heat.  Mr.  Young  closed 
his  work  at  Kingwood  in  July  1887,  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  S.  C. 
Dare,  who  stayed  two  years.  In  June,  1889,  Rev.  G.  M.  Owen  accepted 
a  call  to  be  pastor.  The  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  Baptist- 
town  in  1895.  Mr.  Owen  is  now,  in  1900,  pastor.  Eleven  years  attest 
the  unity  of  his  people  in  him.  A  storm  gave  birth  to  this  re-organized 
church  in  1839,  but  despite  its  hindrances  and  the  bitter  opposition 
from  without,  it  has  maintained  its  original  type,  since  its  first  organi- 
zation in  1742,  and  kept  up  its  expansion  in  local  and  foreign  missions. 
Since  1839,  the  church  has  dismissed  one  hundred  and  seven  to 
share  in  the  organization  of  other  Baptist  churches.  To  Cherryville, 
Croton,  and  to  Frenchtown,  the  church  has  done  its  full  share  to  provide 
houses  of  worship,  in  concert  with  other  churches.  It  is  a  record  not  to 
be  ashamed  of  in  an  isolated  rural  church  of  limited  membership.  Since 
1742,  twenty  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  church.  Mr.  Curtis, 
twelve  years  till  his  death;  David  Sutton,  almost  twenty;  D.  Bateman, 
till  he  died,  fourteen  years;  G.  A.  Hunt,  eleven  years;  Thomas  Barrass, 
ten  years;  S.  S.  Sproul,  seven  years;  C.  Cox,  six  years.  Shorter  pastorates, 
Armstrong  and  the  two  Youngs,  G.  M.  Owen,  eleven  years.  The  church 
has  built  six  meeting  houses  for  itself,  of  which  two  were  erected  before 
1741.  First  Hopewell  was  a  wealthy  church,  and  Kingwood  nearby. 
Middletown,  Piscataway,  Cohansey  and  their  stations,  not  only  wealth 
but  many  men  of  culture  and  of  high  social  and  official  position  and  of 
political  distinction,  this  the  more  reflects  upon  the  removing  of  Hope- 
well school  from  the  center  of  the  country  to  an  extreme  and  out  of  the 
way  place.  The  Honeywell  and  the  Hubbs  legacies,  illustrate  the 
blunder  and  folly  of  the  movement. 

It  will  be  presumed  from  the  near  vicinity  of  Kingwood,  (now  Bap- 
tisttown)  church  to  Frenchtown  and  from  the  early  missionary  instincts 
of  old  Kingwood  and  of  First  Hopewell  churches,  that  Frenchtown 
would  have  been  occtipied  long  since,  with  local  Baptist  ministries. 
But  it  was  new  Kingwood  (  Baptisttown )  to  plant  a  Baptist 
church  there.  If  it  is  recalled,  that  Frenchtown  is  of  comparatively 
recent  origin,  a  satisfactory  explanation  is  afforded  for  .seeming  delay. 
In  1840,  there  were  about  twenty-five  dwellings  in  the  place  and  only 
since  the  railroad  passed  through  the  town  has  there  been  assurance 
of  gro^\i,h.  In  1859,  the  Board  of  the  State  Convention  appointed 
Rev.  J.  G.  Penney  its  missionary,  with  Frenchtown  as  a  center.  Pastors 
of  nearby  churches  preached  there  and  a  goodly  number  of  Baptists 
lived  there  and  one  of  them  offered  a  large  sum  for  a  house  of  worship. 
Mr.  Penney  took  hold  of  the  enterprise  with  energy  and  the  house 


78  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

was  nearly  completed  before  he  left  the  field.  Rev.  W.  D.  Hires 
followed  him.     The  building  was  dedicated  December  25th,  1801. 

About  then  Mr.  Hires  left  the  field  and  the  Baptists  in  the  town 
determined  to  organize  a  Baptist  church.  At  a  meeting  they  called,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  get  the  names  of  those  who  would  unite 
n  the  movement.  Nearly  sixty  persons  agreed  to  the  plan  and  in 
March,  1866,  they  decided  to  constitute  the  Frenchtown  Baptist  church. 
At  the  first  regular  business  meeting  of  the  church  called.  Rev.  A.  Arm- 
strong was  called  to  be  pastor.  Resigning  at  Baptisttown,  he  became 
pastor  at  Frenchtown  in  April,  1866  and  closed  his  work  there  in  1869. 
The  succession  of  pastors  at  FrenchtoAvn  was:  S.  C.  Boston,  1870-72; 
W.  H.  Shermer,  1872-73;  W.  H.  Pease,  1873-75;  S.  S.  Woodward,  1876- 
78;  W.  D.  Hires,  1878-81;  I.  D.  Shull  1881-83;  J.  Waldon,  1883-87;  J.  W. 
Taylor,  1888-90;  H.  A.  Chapman, 1891-94;  and  C.  M.  Deitz,  1895-1900. 

The  church  has  had  eleven  pastors.  Substantial  growth  and  deep 
rooting  in  the  community  could  not  be  hoped  for  under  such  repeated 
changes  in  the  pastoral  office.  The  church,  however,  with  its  house  of 
worship  provided  for  it;  has  been  a  self  sustaining  body  in  nearly  all 
of  its  past  history.  Such  fields  of  small  returns  and  distant  hope  of 
large  growth  demand  courage  and  faith  in  those  who  sustain  them. 


m^ 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SCHOOLEY'S  MOUNTAIN,   LEDGEWOOD  AND 
NEWFOUNDLAND  CHURCHES. 


What  had  been  known  as  Rocksbury  church  from  1753  to  1768, 
the  name  of  the  township  in  which  the  meeting  house  was,  was  called 
Schooley's  Mountain  church  from  1768  to  1890,  one  hundred  and  twenty 
two  years.  The  members  of  the  church  were  living  on  the  mountain, 
and  hence  the  name,  Schooley's  Mountain.  From  1768,  the  name  of 
the  church  disappears  from  the  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Association. 
Neither  is  it  in  the  minutes  of  either  the  New  York  or  the  Warwick 
Associations.  It  appears  in  1823  in  the  Warwick  Association  as  the 
"Olive  church."  In  the  Sussex  Association  it  is  called  Schooley's 
Mountain  until  1889,  Avhen  another  designation  is  given.  The  "deed" 
of  the  lot  on  which  the  first  meeting  house  stood  is  dated  March  15th, 
1768,  and  was  made  by  James  Heaton. 

Morgan  Edwards  says  of  the  origin  of  the  church,  "The  rise  of 
Baptists  in  this  mountain  was  owing  to  Mr.  Samuel  Heaton,  who  with 
three  brothers  came  from  Connecticut  to  set  up  iron  works.  Bred  a 
Presbyterian,  he  wanted  a  Presbyterian  minister  to  christen  his  son. 
His  wife  oljjected  saying,  "If  you  show  me  a  text  that  warrants 
christening  a  child,  I  will  take  him  to  the  minister."  Mr.  Heaton  quoted 
several,  but  his  wife  was  not  satisfied.  Then  Mr.  Heaton  went  to  the 
minister,  sure  that  Infant  Baptism  must  be  in  the  Bible.  The  minister 
owned  that  there  was  no  text  that  directly  proved  the  point,  but  that 
it  was  probable  by  deduction  from  many  texts.  This  shocked  Mr. 
Heaton  and  he  went  home  to  "search  the  Scriptures."  And  with  the 
the  universal  result  of  becoming  a  Baptist.  He  then  went  to  King- 
wood,  about  forty  miles,  and  considering  the  roads  and  the  route,  three 
or  four  times  more.  He  was  baptized  there,  uniting  with  the  Kingwood 
church.  Returning  home,  he  began  to  preach.  Converts  were  made, 
who  went  to  Kingwood  and  were  baptized  into  that  church.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  "Schooley's  Mountain  Baptist  church." 

In  1751,  Mr.  Heaton  was  ordained  and  founded  three  Baptist 
churches.  Mount  Olive,  Dividing  Creek  and  a  church  in  Virginia.  Mr. 
Edwards  adds  of  Mr.  Heaton:  "If  an  honest  man  be  the  noblest  work 
of  God,"  as  Pope  saith,  "Mr.  Heaton  may  lay  claim  to  that  nobility." 
(For  other  tributes  to  Mr.  Heaton  by  Morgan  Edwards,  see  History  of 


80  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Dividing  Creek  church.)  Pastor  Bonham  of  Kingwood  visited  the 
people  and  baptized,  also  Henry  Crossley,  a  Ucentiate.  Statements 
of  the  number  of  constituents  differ.  Minutes  of  the  Philadelphia 
Association  say  five.  Mr.  Edwards  gives  twelve  to  fourteen.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Heaton  were  among  them.  Henry  Crossley  was  one  of  them  and 
he  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  ordained  in  1753.  He  resigned  in  1755. 
He  had  a  second  charge  of  seven  years  of  the  church,  1762-1768,  inclu- 
sive.    In  1768,  he  had  a  joint  pastorate  at  Mount  Bethel. 

Adversity  befell  Schooley's  Mountain  church  when  Pastor  Crossley 
removed.  Its  members  associated  with  Morristown.  Morgan  Ed- 
wards says  of  this  era:  "Since  the  people  of  Schooley  became  a  church 
they  have  undergone  a  dissolution  and  a  reunion;  some  moved  away, 
others  joined  Morristown,  but  others  returning,  they  reunited  under 
their  first  covenant  on  July  12th,  1775."  Even  though,  so  closely 
associated  with  Morristown,  the  Schooley  Mountain  members  reserved 
to  themselves,  liberty  to  hold  monthly  meetings  and  to  transact 
business  among  themselves.  This  arrangement  continued  until 
November  18th,  1786.  How  much  Pastor  Reune  Runyan  of  Morris- 
town had  to  do  with  this  arrangement  is  unexplained.  He  did 
pastoral  work  at  Schooley's  Mountain  and  his  influence  was  wholly 
of  a  merging  process.  When  he  returned  to  Piscataway,  he  kept  up 
these  endeavors,  even  though  the  long,  weary  and  lonely  distance, 
cost  a  vast  sacrifice  of  time  and  of  comfort.  Rev.  David  Jayne 
supplied  Schooley  Mountain  Baptists  when  Mr.  Runyan  returned  to 
Piscataway  and  remedied  in  part,  Mr.  Runyan's  plans.  In  1784, 
Mr.  Jayne  was  called  elsewhere  and  Mr.  Vaughn  followed  him  in 
1790  to  1794.  That  year  Rev.  Isaac  Price  settled  at  Schooley's 
Mountain,  remaining  till  1797.  Again  there  was  a  hiatus  in  the 
church  history  las-ting  till  1832. 

The  Board  of  the  State  Convention  then  sent  one  of  its  restoring 
missionaries.  Rev.  M.  Quin,  an  Irishman  and  humorous  of  course,  into 
North  Jersey.  Mr.  Quin  was  happy  in  recovering  Baptist's  interests 
there.  Early  in  1834,  Rev.  John  Teasdale  was  providentially  raised 
up  in  Sussex  county.  His  enterprise  and  effective  ministry  with  that 
of  his  brother,  Thomas,  gave  a  new  impulse  to  Baptist  affairs.  Rev. 
C.  C.  Park  was  pastor  in  1835,  and  Rev.  J.  M.  Carpenter,  another 
North  Jersey  Baptist  minister  had  the  pa.storate  from  1837  to  1840, 
Succeeding  Mr.  Carpenter  came  Rev.  T.  Richey. 

About  this  time.  Deacon  Samuel  Cozard  died  leaving  his  homestead 
farm  and  other  property  to  the  church.  The  Cozard  family  was  an 
important  element  in  the  church.  They  had  been  among  the  earliest 
settlers.     Four  of  the  name  were  constituents  in  1753  and  when  the 


SCHOOLEY'S  MOUNTAIN  AND  MOUNT  OLIVE  81 

family  removed  the  church  declined  and  when  they  returned  in  1775, 
the  church  enjoyed  prosperity.  These  Cozards  were  Baptists  irre- 
spective of  what  others  might  be  or  do.  Baptists  in  all  conditions  of 
popularity  or  unpopularity,  Baptists  to  whom  truth  and  duty  was  of 
more  worth  than  the  good  will  of  any  differing  from  them.  Baptists 
who  accomplish  aught  for  God  and  humanity  are  of  this  sort,  whoae 
faith  is  vital  and  is  worth  telling  to  every  creature.  Benedict  says  that 
Mr.  Quin  made  the  discovery  of  Mr.  Cozard's  legacy.  But  the  "will" 
was  not  made  till  long  after  Mr.  Quin  had  left  the  field.  Mr.  Richey 
did  good  service  for  the  church  and  for  the  cause  of  Christ. 

The  second  pastorate  of  Rev.  John  Teasdale  of  nine  years  from 
June,  1842.  Prosperity  characterized  these  years  till  1850,  when 
Deacon  Aaron  Salmon  died.  His  "will"  gave  the  bulk  of  his  estate  to 
the  church,  as  he  had  said  he  would.  The  "heirs"  contested  the  will, 
but  the  courts  sustained  it.  "Costs"  however,  wasted  the  property 
on  the  lawyers  and  what  was  worse,  wrought  contention  in  the  church 
and  arrayed  the  Godless  against  it.  It  is  never  safe  to  risk  the  avarice 
of  "heirs."  Pastor  Teasdale  preferred  quiet  to  disorder  and  resigned 
in  1851.  These  Teasdale  brothers  had  been  the  gift  of  Wantage, 
(Deckertown)  to  the  denomination.  They  made  neither  pretense  of 
wisdom  or  learning,  nevertheless  they  were  great,  in  that  they  had 
"good  common  sense,"  and  were  true,  safe  and  godly  men  and  with 
Zelotes  Grenelle  saved  the  Baptist  churches  in  North  Jersey  from  anti- 
nomianism.  These  men  were  raised  up  at  a  time  of  need  and  did 
great  work  under  the  lead  of  Zelotes  Grenelle. 

Rev.  Asacl  Bronson  followed  Mr.  Teasdale.  Mr.  Bronson  had  been 
pastor  of  a  pedo  Baptist  church,  but  was  led  to  see  his  errors  through 
Mr.  Teasdale,  who  baptized  him  into  the  membership  of  Mount  Olive 
church  which  licensed  and  ordained  him.  Pastor  Bronson  continued 
pastor  till  in  July  1853.  His  successor  was  Rev.  T.  F.  Clancy  who 
remained  nearly  ten  years,  resigning  in  the  spring  of  1863.  Under  Mr. 
Clancy,  a  new  house  of  worship  was  built  and  was  dedicated  in  1856. 
After  Mr.  Clancey,  within  a  few  weeks,  Rev.  H.  B.  Shermer,  ministered 
for  nearly  six  years,  till  his  death  on  March  22nd,  1869.  The  next  Oc- 
tober, Rev.  G.  F.  Hendrickson  settled  as  pastor.  A  special  work  of 
grace  occurred  under  his  labors,  continuing  as  pastor  for  about  three 
years.  The  pastorate  was  again  occupied  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Entrikin,  near 
the  close  of  1873. 

Next  year,  1874,  a  meeting  house  was  built  at  Drakesville  and  in 

1875  was  provided.     Rev.  S.  Sproul  settled  in  1875  and  stayed  six  years 

at  Mt.  Olive,  of  mutual  profit  and  enjoyment.     Resigning  in  1881,  a 

short  interval  came  between  his  resignation  and  the  settlement  of  Rev. 

6 


82  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

M.  M.  Fogg,  in  April,  1881.  Mr.  Fogg  was  pastor  until  in  1883.  After 
Mr.  Fogg,  Rev.  T.  C.  Young  became  pastor,  at  the  next  October  and  re- 
signed in  1888,  whom  Rev.  S.  L.  Cox  followed  and  closed  his  pastorate 
in  1890.  In  that  year,  thirty-six  members  were  dismissed  to  constitute 
the  Netcong  Church.  In  1891,  Rev.  J.  L.  Watson  became  pa.stor  and 
is  now  (1900)  occupying  the  office.  Mt.  OUve  Church  has  had  three 
meeting  houses.  One  built  in  1768.  The  "deed"  was  given  by  James 
Heaton,  brother  of  Samuel.  The  "deed"  was  made  to  four  denomina- 
tions. A  second  house  was  built  in  1810  and  was  a  "union"  house. 
Matters  were  not  pleasant  in  this  union  arrangement.  Two  denomnia- 
tions  used  the  building  and  the  others  built  one  for  themselves.  The 
Baptists  used  the  old  building  till  1854,  when  it  was  sold,  and  Mt. 
Olive  Bapitst  Church  built  for  itself  a  house  of  worship  and  that  was 
dedicated  in  1856.     In  1870,  the  house  was  renovated  and  enlarged. 

When  Antinomianism  captured  the  Warwick  Association  in  1833, 
Mt.  Olive  withdrew  and  with  the  First  Wantage  and  Hamburg 
organized  the  Sussex  Association  in  1833.  Two  churches  colonized 
from  Mt.  Olive:  Ledgewood,  in  1874,  with  twenty-eight  constituents, 
and  Netcong,  in  1890,  with  twenty-six  constituents.  At  least  one 
member  has  been  licensed  and  ordained  and  has  been  pastor  of  the 
Church,  exclusive  of  Samuel  Heaton  who  was  ordained  before  the  Church 
was  organized.  Mt.  Olive  has  had  twenty-two  pastors.  Two  of  them 
had  double  pastorates.  Mr.  Crossley  being  seven  years  in  his  second 
charge  and  Mr.  J.  Teasdale  being  ten  years  in  his  second  oversight. 
Pastor  Sherman  died  while  pastor,  having  been  pastor  six  years. 

Originally  Ledgewood  was  named  Drake.sville.  The  change  of  the 
name  of  the  Adllage  to  that  of  Ledgewood  involved  a  change  of  the  name 
of  the  church.  Mt.  Olive  claims  the  maternity  of  Ledgewood  Church. 
Since  Drakesville  was  a  mission  station  of  Mt.  Olive  Church.  The 
origin  of  the  Church  is  described  by  the  Church  clerk,  who  says:  "Pur- 
suant to  a  notice  the  citizens  of  Drakesville  met  in  the  old  school  house 
June  22nd,  1873,  to  take  into  consideration  the  erection  of  a  Baptist 
Church  (house)  in  the  village."  A  committee  of  three  was  appointed 
to  select  a  site  and  arrange  for  lots  on  which  to  build  a  Church  edifice. 
Mr.  H.  Matthews  offered  to  give  the  lots  and  to  aid  in  the  erection  of 
the  buUding.  The  committee  on  funds  reported  that  two  thousand 
dollars  was  pledged  and  it  was  voted  to  build  in  1873  at  a  cost  of 
four  thousand  and  five  hundred  dollars. 

All  of  this  happened  a  year  before  the  Church  was  organized.  Next 
year,  in  October,  1874,  a  Baptist  Church  was  constituted  with  twenty- 
eight  members.  Six  pastors  have  served  the  Church;  one  of  them  had 
a  joint  charge  of  both  Mt.    Olive  and  of   Ledgeville,  J.  G.  Entrikin, 


LEDGEVILLE,  NETCONG  AND  DOVER  83 

1874-76;  A.  Millington,  1879-81  (Under  him  the  upper  part  of  the  Church 
was  completed  so  as  to  be  used  for  Sunday  services.);  T.  F.  Clancey, 
1882-87;  I.  N.  Hill,  1887-92.  Between  the  pastorates  of  Messrs.  Clancy 
and  Hill,  the  entire  indebtedness  of  the  Church  was  paid  and  while  Mr. 
Hill  was  pastor  in  1888,  a  large  contribution  was  made  for  the  erection 
of  the  Stanhope  chapel.  D.  Spencer  followed  Mr.  Hill  as  pastor,  1895- 
1900.  Since  Mr.  Spencer  resigned.  Rev.  T.  A.  Gessler  has  supplied 
the  Church. 

Netcong  Baptist  Church  sprang  from  a  mission  of  the  Mt.  Olive 
Church,  which  was  first  known  as  Stanhope  and  is  in  Sussex  county,  on 
a  stream  dividing  Morris  and  Sussex  counties.  Allusion  is  made  to 
Stanhope  chapel  as  early  as  1887-8,  and  is  distant  from  Mt.  Olive  Church 
about  five  miles.  In  1890,  twenty-six  members  were  dismissed  to  con- 
stitute the  Netcong  Church,  these  and  other  Baptist  residents,  in  all 
thirty-six,  were  constituted  that  body,  occupying  the  Stanhope  chapel. 
In  1893,  they  report  that  they  have  enlarged  and  improved  their  meet- 
ing house,  implying  a  building  previously  erected.  Information  from 
Netcong  and  Dover  is  indefinite ,  in  general  statements .  Rev.  William 
H.  Shawger  was  pastor  at  an  early  date,  whether  the  first  pastor  is  not 
clear. 

On  February  22nd,  1892,  a  mission  at  Dover  was  begun,  which  Mr. 
Shawger  maintained  until  September,  1893,  when  thirty-nine  members 
of  Netcong  were  dismissed  to  form  Dover  Baptist  Church,  including  Mr. 
Shawger,  who  became  pastor  at  Dover,  he  removing  to  that  place.  Mr. 
J.  A.  Crawn  was  ordained  for  the  pastorate  at  Netcong  in  1894.  Rev. 
William  H.  Head  followed  Mr.  Crawn  in  1895  as  "supply,"  and  in  1898 
is  stated  to  be  pastor.  The  close  of  his  pastorate  is  not  given,  but  Rev. 
J.  A.  Peake  was  pastor  in  1900.  Netcong  is  a  rural  Church,  and  the 
future  of  such  churches  is  not  cheering. 

The  Dover  Church,  which  colonized  from  Netcong  church  three 
years  after  its  institution,  probably  impaired  the  strength  of  Netcong. 
If  so,  they  have  not  complained.  An  increase  in  the  number  of  churches 
is  not  an  index  of  denominational  growth,  except  as  resources  and  popu- 
lation increase,  especially  if  the  mature  and  resourceful  churches  starve 
distant  places  to  keep  the  starvelings  at  home  alive. 

Baptist  interests  in  Dover  assumed  real  form  when  Pastor  Shaw- 
ger of  Netcong  Baptist  Church,  with  Mr.  William  Morey  and  Mr.  D. 
Jones,  on  Feburary  22nd,  1892,  rented  a  hall  in  Dover  and  began  a 
Baptist  Mission.  Pastor  Shawger  and  these  two  gentlemen  (Baptists) 
sustained  the  mission  until  on  September  18th,  1893,  when  with 
thirty-nine  members  dismissed  from  Netcong  Church  constituted  the 
Dover  Baptist  Church.     Mr.  Shawger  was  chosen  pastor  of  the  Dover 


84  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

body.  The  Church  there  worshipped  in  a  hall  until  they  moved  into 
their  own  Church  edifice,  in  April,  1896.  Their  house  of  worship  had 
cost  six  thousand  dollars.  It  was  a  large  and  fitting  place  of  worship. 
In  its  early  years,  Dover  Baptist  Church  grew  rapidly  in  membership. 
Later  its  increase  accords  with  the  average  increase  of  Baptist  Churches. 
Mr.  Shawger  is  now  (1900)  pastor  at  Dover. 

In  1800,  members  of  First  Wantage  living  in  Newfoundland  asked 
the  Church  to  observe  the  Lord's  Supper  in  Newfoundland  twice  a  year. 
The  request  was  granted  and  Pastor  Southworth  of  First  Wantage 
preached  at  Newfoundland  once  each  month  from  the  time  of  the  re- 
quest. Four  years  developed  increased  Baptist  interest  under  the  active 
labors  of  Mr.  Southworth,  and  in  180-1  the  Newfoundland  Baptist  Church 
was  formed.  The  Church  united  with  the  Warwick  Association.  But 
in  1817,  it  was  "resolved  that  this  Church  shall  be  dropped  from  our 
minutes."  In  1822,  its  name  appears  again  and  the  Church  reported 
a  membership  of  thirty-five.  The  Church  reported  in  1823,  seven 
baptisms  and  a  membership  of  forty-five.  When  constituted  Ebenezer 
Jayne  was  ordained.  He  was  still  pastor  in  1809.  Thomas  Teasdale 
followed  Mr.  Jayne,  in  1811.  In  1839,  the  Church  united  with  the 
Su.ssex  Association.  That  body  was  made  up  of  Churches  which  had 
separated  from  the  Warwick  Association  when  it  divided,  in  1833, 
adopting  Antinomianism.  The  Sussex  Association  representing  the 
missionary,  temperance  and  working  forces  of  Christianity.  In  1856, 
the  name  of  the  Church  disappears  from  the  minutes  of  the  Sussex  As- 
sociation. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


BETHLEHEM,  HAMPTON  JUNCTION,  CLINTON 
AND  WASHINGTON  CHURCHES. 


Rev.  Messrs.  David  Jayne,  Ebenezer  Jayne,  John  Ellis  and  David 
Bateman  (pastor  of  Kingwood,  1818-1832)  each  preached  successfully 
in  the  northern  parts  of  Hunterdon  county.  A  church  organization 
was  not  attempted  until  the  appointment  by  the  board  of  the  State 
Convention  of  Rev.  Thomas  Barrass  to  be  a  missionary  in  north  New 
Jersey,  including  North  Hunterdon  county  in  his  field.  The  brothers, 
Thomas  and  Edward  Barrass  were  men  of  force,  of  intelligence  and  de- 
votion to  their  work,  and  among  the  most  efficient  pastors  and  evange- 
lists in  the  state.  People  were  not  long  in  finding  out  that  they  were 
of  the  sort  that  never  apologized  for  being  Baptists  of  the  straightest 
kind. 

The  Bethlehem  Church  was  formed  in  October,  1837.  It  was  a 
child  of  Kingwood  Church;  pastors  of  that  Church  occupying  the  field 
baptizing  the  converts,  who  are  supposed  to  have  united  there.  The 
constituents  numbered  thirteen.  In  1839,  a  spacious  meeting  house 
was  built.  Before  this  worship  was  in  private  houses  and  barns  and 
groves  as  the  seasons  permitted.  Among  the  members  of  the  Church 
was  Nathan  Terribery.  Those  who  knew  the  men  and  women  of  these 
earlier  times  will  be  surprised  that  so  large  and  costly  a  house  of  worship 
was  built.  Mr.  Terribery  was  one  of  the  men  who  asked:  "What  is 
necessary?"  and  measured  his  benefactions  by  the  needs  and  not  by 
what  he  could  spare,  and  who  never  limited  himself  by  other  than  the 
needs.  The  New  Hampton  (Junction)  Church,  a  colony  from  Bethlehem 
Church  had  a  meeting  house  paid  for,  ready  for  its  use,  and  Deacon 
Terribery  was  chairman  of  the  committee  that  built  it.  Mr.  Barrass, 
as  missionary  and  as  pastor,  was  nineteen  years  in  this  field,  giving 
most  of  his  time  to  Bethlehem  Church.  Under  his  administration, 
the  Church  had  grown  from  thirteen  members  to  one  hundred;  had  built 
two  houses  of  worship  and  paid  for  them.  Resigning  in  March,  1850, 
he  was  at  once  followed  by  E.  M.  Barker,  1850-53;  J.  J.  Barker,  1853-58; 
William  Archer,  1858-63;  George  Young,  1863-67;  H.  Wescott,  1867-72. 

In  June,  1868,  nineteen  members  were  dismissed  to  form  New 
Hampton  (Junction)  Church.  Had  these  remained  in  the  mother 
Church,  one  pastor  would  have  sufficed  for  the  whole  field.     Twenty- 


86  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

four  members,  including  the  pastor,  Mr.  Wescott,  were  dismissed  in 
1872  to  organize  the  Clinton  Church.  The  going  out  of  these  colonies 
was  a  serious  loss  to  Bethlehem  Church.  Clinton  especially,  being  near 
by  and  the  town  a  growing  place,  while  the  house  of  the  Bethlehem 
Church  was  in  a  lonely  rural  neighborhood  and  but  for  a  legacy  condi- 
tioned upon  maintaining  worship  in  the  original  Church  edifice,  the 
Bethlehem  Church  would  have  been  removed  to  either  Clinton  or  to 
Pattonburg,  a  chapel  having  been  built  in  the  last-named  place,  where 
nearly  all  the  services  are  held.  Mr.  J.  W.  Porter,  a  student,  minister- 
ed at  Bethlehem  in  1874.  T.  C.  Young  became  pastor  in  April  1876-77; 
A.  B.  Still,  1878-86;  L.  Myers,  1886-88;  J.  H.  Hyatt,  1888-96;  M.  M. 
Fogg,  1896-99,  dying  while  at  his  work.  Mrs.  Kilgore  gave  a  lot  for  a 
parsonage  and  a  pastor's  home  was  built  under  Rev.  T.  C.  Young's 
pastoral  care.  Rev.  A.  B.  Still  had  a  joint  pastorate  with  Hampton 
Junction  Church  till  1882  and  his  memory  is  recalled  with  pleasure. 
Mr.  Still  and  Mr.  Hyatt  were  pastors  each  about  eight  years.  Two 
colonies  have  gone  from  Bethlehem,  Hampton  Junction  and  Clinton. 

The  church  has  had  twelve  pastors,  the  first  of  whom  held  the 
office  for  thirteen  years.  It  has  had  two  houses  of  worship  and  a 
chapel.  The  pastor  resides  in  the  parsonage  beside  the  church  over  a 
mile  from  Pattenburg.  There  is  no  prospect  of  a  large  membership. 
With  an  increase  of  population,  it  might  grow  in  strength  and  force 
and  be  a  source  of  spiritual  power  in  a  wide  section. 

New  Hampton,  Hampton  Junction,  Central  Baptist  Junction  are 
the  several  names  which  the  Baptist  church  at  the  Junction,  Hunterdon 
county,  has  been  known  by.  Earliest  it  was  know  as  a  "branch  of  the 
Bethlehem  Baptist  Church,"  where  Pastors  Barrass,  Barker  and  others 
maintained  a  mission  station.  Deacon  Terriberry  lived  near  the  Junc- 
tion and  no  doubt  was  the  means  of  the  building  of  the  meeting  house 
there  in  1852.  He  was  a  constituent  of  the  Junction  Church  formed  in 
1868  wiih  nineteen  members.  As  yet  the  young  Church  could  not  sustain 
itself  and  the  mother  Church  divided  the  ser\aces  of  its  pastors  with  it 
for  more  than  thirteen  years  and  was  cheerfully  consented  to  by  Pastors 
Still,  Young  and  Wescott,  and  Pastor  G.  F.  Hendrickson,  of  Port  Murray 
supplemented  their  work  for  months.  Strength  was  thus  gained  and  in 
April,  1882,  Rev.  John  Moody  became  pastor.  A  work  of  grace  was 
enjoyed  under  his  labors.  Within  two  years,  Mr.  Moody  was  called 
away  and,  in  1884,  Rev.  Willliam  A.  Smith  entered  on  the  pastorate  of 
both  the  Junction  and  the  Washington  Churches,  four  miles  apart. 

Mr.  Smith  was  active  in  his  two-fold  service.  He  devoted  special 
attention  to  Washington,  where  as  yet  a  house  of  worship  was  to  be 
erected.     Mr.  Smith  closed  his  work  at  the  Junction  in  1889.     Rev.  G. 


JUNCTION  AND^CLINTON  87 

W.  Everitt  followed,  and  in  February,  1891,  a  beautiful  house  of  worship 
was  dedicated.  Mr.  Everitt  had  a  very  useful  pastorate.  His  enjoy- 
ment of  the  new  sanctuary  was  short.  In  December,  1892,  both  him- 
self and  companions  were  summoned  in  their  early  life  to  the  reward  of 
the  faithful  on  high.  In  May,  1893,  Rev.  L.  A.  Schnering  entered  the 
pastorate  and  retired  in  February,  1895.  His  successor  was  H.  M.  B. 
Dare,  1895-1902;  Central  Junction  may  become  a  large  Church.  Rail- 
road centers  have  a  changing  population  and  their  population  depends 
upon  how  long  the  railroad  shops  stay.  These  have  now  been  removed 
but  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  pastor  and  people  to  know  that  whatever  hap- 
pens to  a  locality.  Divine  truth  is  living  seed  and  if  it  does  not  germinate 
in  one  locality,  it  may  in  another.  Aside  from  joint  pastoral  care  with 
Bethlehem  and  Washington,  five  pastors  have  served  the  Junction 
Church,  one  of  whom  died  while  in  office.  Two  houses  of  worship  have 
been  built,  one  in  1852,  the  other  in  1891. 

Clinton  Baptist  Church  originated  from  Bethlehem  Church.  There 
is  a  dwelling  house  in  Clinton  occupied  and  owned  by  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  originally  built  for  an  Episcopal  meeting  house,  it  was 
remodeled  for  a  denominational  school.  One  of  the  stockholders  cher- 
ished Baptist  ideas  of  Bible  teaching.  Through  his  influence,  Rev.  E. 
R.  Hera,  pastor  of  Cherry ville  Baptist  Church,  was  obtained  for  monthly 
service.  On  one  occasion,  Mr.  Hera  gave  Baptist  views  of  truth  and  of 
duty.  The  Pedo  Baptist  stockliolders  took  offense.  On  other  occasions 
they  found  no  fault,  content  to  hear  the  advocacy  of  doctrines  they 
also  held.  When  Mr.  Hera,  came  to  his  next  appointment,  the  door 
was  locked  and  he  was  in  the  street.  Such  is  pedoism:  only  our  own 
and  us. 

This  outrage  stirred  the  town.  A  few  Christian  Methodists  opened 
the  Methodist  Church  edifice  that  day  for  Mr.  Hera  and  the  largest  con- 
gregation Mr.  Hera  had  had  gathered  to  see  a  man  who  preached  his 
convictions  of  truth,  irrespective  of  place  or  hearers.  It  was  not  the 
first  and  only  time  in  which  our  Methodist  brethren  showed  their  love 
of  truth  and  honest  convictions  in  the  preacher  under  like  circumstances. 
Shut  out  from  the  only  public  hall  in  the  town,  Baptist  meetings  were 
omitted  for  a  time. 

When  Rev.  Mr.  Archer  was  pastor  at  Bethlehem,  he  preached  in 
Clinton  in  private  houses.  In  the  meantime,  Mr.  J.  G.  Leigh,  the  stock- 
holder in  the  old  building,  of  Baptist  convictions  and  who  had  influenced 
Mr.  Hera  to  come  and  preach  at  Clinton,  built  a  school  house  and  em- 
ployed teachers,  causing  the  old  parochial  school  to  wither  and  die. 
The  building  which  had  been  an  Episcopal  meeting  house  and  school 
was  sold  and  Mr.  Leigh  bought  it  so  that  the  Baptists  went  back  to  the 


88  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

place  from  which  they  had  been  locked  out.  An  extensive  revival  broke 
out  in  Bethlehem  Church,  the  pastor  of  which  lived  at  Clinton.  In  May, 
1870,  he  baptized  six  residents  of  Clinton.  Mr.  G.  T.  Leigh  may  have 
been  one  of  them.  Soon  the  organization  of  a  Baptist  Church  in  Clinton 
arose.  Mr.  Leigh  gave  the  lots  for  a  Baptist  Church  edifice.  The  house 
begun  in  the  summer  of  1871  and  in  March,  1872,  thirty-seven  disciples 
constituted  themselves  a  Baptist  Church  in  the  building  from  which  they 
had  been  expelled.  At  this  meeting,  Mr.  Leigh  was  chosen  one  of  the 
deacons  and  also  treasurer  of  the  Church.  Rev.  H.  Westcott,  pastor  at 
Behtlehem  Church,  was  one  of  the  constituents  and  called  to  be  pastor 
at  Clinton,  entered  at  once  upon  his  duties. 

Their  house  of  worship  was  dedicated  in  August,  1872.  It  was  a 
large  and  most  fitting  structure  having  cost  ahnost  eleven  thousand  dol- 
lars, besides  the  value  of  the  lots.  The  accomplishment  of  this  result 
may  signify  the  part  Mr.  Leigh  had  in  it.  Mr.  Wescott  remained  one 
year.  This  was  the  second  Baptist  Church  he  originated,  the  former  being 
First  Woodbury.  He  has  ahvays  been  a  most  efficient  helper  of  new  and 
weak  Churches,  having  at  his  command  private  resources  that  enabled 
him  to  serve  Churches  without  consideration  of  a  salary.  Pastors  fol- 
lowing were:  W.  H.  Sermer,  1873-77;  G.  B.  Young,  ^877-79;  H.  D. 
Doolittle,  1879-1880.  (At  midnight  he  passed  to  the  everlasting  man 
sions.  Just  before  he  died  he  called  for  Deacon  Leigh  and  asked: 
"Deacon,  can't  I  lie  just  out  yonder?"  pointing  to  the  Baptist  ceme- 
tery. There  his  body  waits  the  resurrection  of  the  just.);  I.  N.  Hill, 
1880-85;  P.  A.  H.  Kline,  1886-93  (The  house  of  worship  was  enlarged, 
the  grounds  improved,  needful  comforts  for  man  and  beast  provided, 
and  best  of  all,  the  field  which  had  been  barren  of  spiritual  returns,  was 
fruitful  in  converts  and  in  growth.  His  resignation  was  accepted  with 
deepest  regret.) ;  E.  E.  Jones,  1893-96;  E.  J.  Skevington,  1897  and  is  now, 
1900,  pastor. 

Clinton  has  had  eight  pastors;  one  died;  only  Mr.  Kline  remained 
eight  years.  There  is  every  reasonable  hope  that  the  Clinton  Church 
will  have  growth  and  become  a  center  of  earnest  Christian  power. 

The  Hampton  Junction  Church  in  1882  called  to  be  its  pastor  Rev. 
J.  W.  Moody.  In  the  spring  of  1883.  he  began  an  afternoon  Lord's  day 
service  in  the  school  house,  about  a  mile  out  of  Washington.  A 
blessing  attended  the  service.  In  April,  1883,  thirteen  were  baptized. 
It  was  resolved  by  the  Junction  Church,  on  May  20th,  to  form  a  Church 
in  Washington.  An  organization  however  did  not  take  place  until 
October  22nd,  1883.  Washington  was  distant  from  the  Junction  four 
miles.  Services  were  continued  in  Washington  by  Mr.  Moody's  suc- 
cessor, Rev.  W.  A.  Smith.     The  baptized  converts  united  with  the 


WASHINGTON  89 

Hampton  Junction  Church.  Mr.  Moody  closed  his  labors  at  Hampton 
Junction  Church,  Janaary  27th,  1884,  and  the  Washington  Church  was 
organized  and  was  supplied  by  him  nine  months  before  his  removal  and 
was  its  first  pastor  and  one  of  the  constitutents  of  the  Washington  church, 
nineteen  being  the  whole  number.  Already  measures  had  been  taken 
to  erect  a  house  of  worship.  A  lot  had  been  bought  and  some  materi- 
als for  a  house  of  worship.  At  this  juncture  Pastor  Moody  accepted  a 
call  to  a  distant  field. 

Rev.  W.  A.  Smith  was  called  to  the  pastorates  of  the  Churches  and 
entered  on  his  work  in  April,  188-4.  The  concern  of  chief  moment  was 
the  building  of  the  Church  edifice  in  Washington.  The  missionary 
committee  of  the  Association  had  talked  over  it,  but  as  yet  had  done 
nothing.  That  committee,  in  1884,  was  re-organized.  A  new  member 
suggested  that  Cherry ville.  New  Brunswick  and  Flemington  each  give 
five  hundred  dollars,  and  the  other  Churches  of  the  Association  made  up 
the  balance  of  the  cost  of  the  house.  The  Senior  Deacon  of  Cherry- 
ville,  H.  Deats,  indorsing  his  pastor's  suggestion.  The  plan  was  approv- 
ed and  this  action  was  an  inspiration  to  the  Churches  of  the  Association. 
The  needed  sum  was  promptly  secured.  Cherryville  alone  of  the  three 
Churches  paid  the  five  hundred  dollars.  Mr.  Smith  was  pastor  at 
Washington  until  1895,  having  resigned  at  the  Junction  Church  in  1889, 
having  been  pastor  of  two  Churches  five  years  and  of  Washington  Church 
exclusively  about  six  years.  Rev.  C.  W.  Haines  was  pastor,  1895-98. 
Rev.  E.  A.  Boom  followed  Mr.  Haines,  1899,  and  is  now  (1900)  pastor. 

Four  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  Church.  One  house  of  worship 
has  been  built  and  paid  for. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


MANSFIELD,  MONTANA,  KNOWLTON 
AND  DELAWARE. 


There  is  but  little  data  of  the  churches  of  an  early  day  which  came 
and  are  not;  that  if  they  did  not  illustrate  the  missionary  convictions 
and  the  real  type  of  our  Baptist  ancestry,  the  veil  of  oblivion  might 
be  dropped  over  them.  It  would  not,  however,  be  just  to  the  men 
and  women  who  laid  the  foundations  of  our  Baptist  faith  and  have 
Isuilt  for  us  what  we  have  of  denominational  life  and  of  outcome. 

Morgan  Edwards  gives  what  we  have  of  the  early  life  of  Knowlton 
church,  stating  that,  "about  1754,  two  Baptist  families,  each  a  hus- 
band and  wife  moved  from  Kingwood  to  the  neighborhood."  Soon 
after  their  coming,  another  Baptist  family  from  Kingwood  moved  to 
that  vicinity.  These  invited  Baptist  ministers  to  visit  them.  Their 
pastor  at  Kingwood  and  Rev.  H.  Crossley  of  Mount  Olive  church 
visited  them.  As  a  result  of  their  labors,  eight  persons  went  to  King- 
wood  and  were  baptized,  uniting  with  that  church.  The  date  of  the 
deed  of  the  land,  on  which  their  meeting  house  stood  was  August  9th, 
1756.  Their  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1763  and  was  distant  five 
miles  from  Roxbury  (Mount  Olive)  Baptist  church  edifice,  on  a  knoll 
like  a  sugar  loaf,  the  top  of  which  was  broken  off.  From  this  resem- 
blance the  church  derived  its  name,  "Knowlton."  Knowlton  became 
extinct  in  1800. 

Rev.  T.  F.  Clancy,  an  intelligent  and  cultured  man,  sent  by  the 
Philadelphia  Association  to  take  charge  of  the  Honeywell  school,  and 
pastor  of  the  Delaware  church,  writes  in  1853:  "About  eight  miles  east 
of  the  Delaware  church  formed  in  1834,  is  an  old  grave  yard,  killed  (?) 
by  a  drunken  minister,  if  tradition  bears  true  testimony."  The  Del- 
aware church  was  in  Knowlton  township,  probably  formed  of  descend- 
ants of  Knowlton  church.  Oxford,  (now  Montana)  possibly  had  a 
like  origin.  Mansfield  also,  had  its  beginning  from  Knowlton  in  1786. 
Kingwood,  the  eldest  daughter  of  First  Hopewell  was  pre-eminent 
a  missionary  church  and  First  Hopewell  would  have  been,  but  for 
antinomianism.  Middletown  is  thus  the  ancestress  of  nearly  all  the 
Baptist  churches  in  Hunterdon,  Warren  and  Sussex  counties  of  New 
Jersey.  Thus  Middletown,  the  senior  Baptist  church,  south  of  Rhode 
Island,   through   Cohansie,   First   Hopewell,   and   Hightstown   is  the 


MANSFIELD  91 

fountainhead  of  Baptists  in  North,  Central  and  South  Jersey.  It  is  also 
represented  far  South  and  West.  It's  only  peer  is  Piscataway,  the 
fruitfulness  of  which  is  like  to  that  of  Middletown.  The  memory  of 
Obadiah  Holmes,  the  virtual  founder  of  Middleto%vn,  is  indeed  blessed. 
Rev.  H.  Crossley  was  the  first  pastor  of  Knowlton,  for  three  years. 
Elkana  Holmes  was  pastor  in  1775,  and  after  him,  Rev.  D.  Jayne,  an 
indefinite  time.  In  1785,  Daniel  Vaughan  was  ordained  for  the  pas- 
torate. With  his  charge,  Morgan  Edwards  account  of  Knowlton 
church  closes  January  2nd,  1790. 

Morgan  Edwards,  under  date  of  December  29th,  1789,  says  of 
the  early  history  of  Mansfield,  commonly  written  Mansfield  wood 
house,  the  name  of  the  township  in  Sussex  county,  "they  hold  worship 
in  a  private  house,  except  when  many  come  together.  Then  they  meet 
in  Dr.  Cummings's  barn.  The  families  are  about  twenty,  whereof 
twelve  persons  are  baptized  and  in  the  communion."  No  meeting 
house;  no  minister;  no  salary,  and  yet  collect  something  considerable 
to  pay  for  ministerial  visits.  One  of  the  first  settlers  of  Mansfield  was 
Mr.  Abraham  Giles,  a  member  of  Knowlton  church.  He  invited  Rev. 
Mr.  Crossley,  pastor  of  Knowlton,  to  preach  at  his  house  sometime 
in  1763.  This  raised  the  curiosity  of  the  few  families  who  had  made 
settlements  in  the  neighborhood.  Mr.  Crossley  and  others  repeated 
their  visits  and  some  of  their  hearers  became  very  serious. 

In  1770,  Dr.  Robert  Cummings  of  Pennsylvania,  settled  in  the 
neighborhood.  His  wife  was  the  daughter  of  Andrew  Bray,  Esq.,  and 
a  very  sensible  woman.  He  also  encouraged  ministers  to  come  preach 
at  his  house.  The  next  who  opened  a  door  to  Baptist  preachers,  was 
a  Dutch  family  named  Beam,  and  it  so  happened  that  his  daughters 
were  the  first  in  these  parts  who  received  the  baptism  of  repentance 
for  the  remission  of  sins;  viz.,  Elizabeth,  Christianna  and  Susanna. 
After  them  followed  their  father  and  mother,  Jacob  and  Catharine. 
Next  followed  the  names  thirteen.  These  persons  on  November  20th, 
1786,  were  formed  into  a  church  by  Rev.  David  Jayne.  On  November, 
12th,  1788,  twelve  members  went  from  hence  to  settle  at  Niagara  and 
took  a  preacher.  Rev.  William  Haven,  with  them.  The  early  preachers 
at  Mansfield  have  been  named.  Later,  Mr.  Cox  preached  af  Mansfield, 
once  each  month  and  received  twelve  bushels  of  wheat  yearly  for  his 
labors.  *  *  *  Qne  minister,  Thomas  Jones,  a  Welshman,  was 
ordained  by  D.  Jayne.  Mr.  Jones  was  a  man  of  originalities.  He 
removed  to  the  State  of  New  York. 

This  record  of  Mansfield  is  very  satisfactory.  Since  but  for  it,  we 
had  not  known  of  early  Baptist  planting  there,  nor  of  the  part  in  it 
of  Knowlton.     The  First  Mansfield  church  of  1786,  is  renewed  by  a 


92  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

re-organization  in  1841,  as  Point  Murray  by  the  Board  of  the  New 
Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention.  Missionaries  Rev.  WilUam  Pollard 
and  Thomas  Barrass  both  of  Flemington  Church  were  sent  to  these  old 
fields  of  Knowlton  and  Mansfield  seventy  and  fifty  years  after  the  early 
planting;  each,  Mansfield,  now  Pt.  Murray;  Oxford,  now  Montana,  and 
Delaware,  were  an  out-growth  of  Knowlton,  a  legimate  offspring  of 
Kingwood.  In  July,  1841,  Rev.  T.  H.  Cole,  licensed  by  the  Delaware 
Church  in  1840,  and  got  astray  spiritually  but  was  recovered,  visited 
the  places  of  his  youth,  doing  the  work  of  an  evangelist.  With  four 
others,  three  of  them  from  Oxford  (now  Montana),  in  all  five,  reconsti- 
tuted Mansfield  Church  (now  Pt.  Murray).  Thus  twice  Mansfield 
derived  its  life  from  the  Old  Knowlton;  first  from  itself,  next  from 
its  lineal  descendant  and  occupant  of  its  original  field  and  by  one, 
which  Delaware  church  commissioned  to  preach. 

In  1842,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  in  Point  Murray  and  in  1894, 
the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  that  of  the  to-mi  in  which  it 
it  was  located.  Mr.  Cole  was  the  first  pastor;  Rev.  J.  J.  Carey  became 
pastor  in  1848,  and  in  1852,  Rev.  Edward  Barrass  settled  as  pastor. 
Successors  were  Rev.  J.  Timberman,  1858-60;  J.  K.  Manning,  1864-67; 
H.  C.  Putnam,  William  Humpstone  and  H.  Wescott  followed,  each  one 
year;  G.  F.  Hendrickson,  1873-77;  T.  C.  Young,  1879-81 ;  C.  W.  O.  Nyce, 
1882-86;  C.L.Percy,  1887-90;  G.F.Love,  1890-92;  T.E.Vasser,  Jr.,  1893- 
1900.  Point  Murray  being  on  the  canal,  was  a  business  center,  where 
boats  received  and  discharged  freight.  Since  1841,  sixteen  pastors 
have  served  the  church.  This  is  not  an  impeachment  of  their  integrity. 
Rather  their  going  there  is  an  instance  of  self  denial  and  of  devotion  to 
the  best  interests  of  humanity  and  of  their  purpose  to  do  what  they 
could  to  bless  and  save  them  who  are  "ready  to  perish."  A  small 
salary  and  an  isolated  location  has  doubtless  shortened  ministerial 
service. 

Originally,  Montana  was  Oxford.  Oxford  and  Delaware  churches 
were  closely  linked  by  their  nearness  to  each  other  and  by  the  labors 
of  the  two  brothers,  Thomas  and  Edward  Barrass.  Delaware  church 
was  in  Knowlton  township  and  Oxford  was  near  by.  Both  were  an 
outgrowth  of  Knowlton.  Thomas  and  Edward  Barrass  were  much 
like  to  the  brothers,  Thomas  and  John  Teasdale,  eminent  for  piety, 
character  and  devotion  to  Baptist  interests  in  North  Jersey,  these 
with  Zelotes  Crenelle  ought  to  be  held  in  everlasting  remembrance 
among  us  for  their  work  and  worth.  Mr.  T.  F.  Clancy  writes  in  1853 
of  the  Oxford  church  that  it  was  constituted  with  nine  members.  The 
church  prospered  under  the  missionary  labors  of  the  men  whom  the 
State  Convention  sent  into  its  field. 


MONTANA  93 

In  1842,  a  party  claiming  to  be  the  Oxford  church  drew  off,  oppos- 
ing all  benevolent  societies,  Bible,  Tract,  Sunday-schools,  missions 
and  seminaries,  as  being  innovations  on  Baptist  usages.  Although  a 
small  minority  and  the  church  clerk  being  one  of  them,  they  kept  the 
papers  of  the  church,  locked  the  meeting  house  door  and  denied  access 
to  it,  by  the  majority,  whom  they  excluded  as  heretics.  The  church, 
although  assured  of  their  power  to  dispossess  these  usurpers,  chose  to 
build  a  new  house  of  worship,  which  was  dedicated  in  1847,  and  to 
leave  the  faction  in  the  hands  of  God,  protesting  against  thir  action 
and  filling  claims  against  the  property.  The  faction  is  now  reduced 
to  a  very  few.  *  *  *  Rev.  Thomas  Barrass  who  was  pastor  from 
1831  to  February,  1844,  resigned.  His  brother  Edward  was  "supply" 
in  1846  and  pastor  in  1847  imtil  1850  and  ministered  to  the  church  for 
seven  to  nine  years.  Rev.  Mr.  Clancy  preached  once  in  four  weeks  for 
Oxford  church  until  April,  1855. 

Soon  after  the  division,  about  1842,  a  majority  of  the  evangelical 
party  formed  the  Franklin  church.  An  antinomian  faction  went  out 
of  Hamburg  church  in  1823,  calling  itself  Franklin.  It  died  of  inanition. 
But  not  succeeding  the  members  at  Franklin  returned  to  Oxford. 
After  Mr.  Clancy,  Rev.  Edward  Barrass  was  recalled  and  had  a  second 
charge  of  four  years.  Rev.  J.  Timberman  was  pastor  in  1859.  Rev. 
William  Pike  served  a  year.  Mr.  J.  K.  Manning  was  called  and  was 
ordained  in  November,  1862  and  remained  four  years.  Pastors  follow- 
ing were:  S.  L.  Cox,  1868;  J.  J.  Muir,  1868-70,  being  ordained  in  Aug- 
ust, 1869.  M.  M.  Finch  was  ordained  for  pastor  in  June,  1871.  His 
stay  was  only  ten  months.  Rev.  A.  B.  McGowan  followed  and  re- 
signed in  1875.  Mr.  C.  Warwick  was  ordained  in  February,  1876. 
Rev.  S.  G.  Silliman,  1877-79;  J.  M.  Scott,  1880-81;  E.  M.  Lamb,  1882-90. 
While  pastor,  the  house  of  worship  was  repaired  and  improved.  Rev. 
E.  A.  Boom,  1896-97;  S.  L.  Cox,  1898.  W.  E.  Cooper  was  also  pastor 
about  two  years. 

Seventeen  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  church.  Two  of  them 
have  been  recalled.  Thomas  Barrass  was  pastor  thirteen  years  and 
the  two  pastorates  of  his  brother  Edward,  nearly  equalled  that  of 
Thomas.  Montana  is  believed  to  have  been  formed  of  descendants 
of  Knowlton,  constituted  in  1763.  Two  meeting  houses  have  been 
built  by  the  church.  Small  salary,  mountainous  country  and  secluded 
section  relieves  pastors  and  people  from  the  love  of  change.  Railroads 
laterly  have  relieved  these  hills  of  their  seclusion.  The  people  have 
the  same  elements  of  character,  intelligence  and  companionship  that 
characterize  other  American  communities. 


94  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

In  1821,  the  Board  of  the  Pennsylvania  Baptist  State  Convention 
sent  Rev.  J.  C.  Hagan  to  labor  in  Sussex  county,  New  Jersey.  Mr. 
Hagan  remained  two  winters  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  Booth  assisted 
by  Rev.  Thomas  Menton.  *  *  *  xhis  action  was  induced  by  the 
Honeywell  school  fund,  which  had  been  left  to  the  Philadelphia  Asso- 
ciation. Mr.  Honeywell  is  supposed  to  have  left  $20,000,  to  found 
a  school  for  the  education  of  slaves  and  of  the  children  of  poor  parents. 
There  was  not  a  Baptist  organization  in  New  Jersey  to  which  he  could 
give  this  legacy,  when  he  made  his  will  in  1773.  (Minutes  of  Phila- 
delphia Association,  pages  181,  200,  326.)  The  supervision  of  this 
school  brought  distinguished  ministers  of  that  Association  to  this 
field.  *  *  *  "Isaac  Stelle,  Montany,  Samuel  Jones,  J.  Mathias, 
who  visited  the  school  for  thirty-six  consecutive  years,  with  only  one 
interruption,"  so  writes  Mr.  T.  F.  Clancy  sent  by  the  Association  to 
be  its  principal.  Three  trustees  were  named  in  the  will  of  Mr.  Honey- 
well: Isaac  Stelle  of  Piscataway,  Benjamin  Miller  of  Scotch  Plains, 
and  Samuel  Jones  of  Philadelphia.  Thus  indicating  his  preference 
for  a  New  Jersey  supervision. 

In  October,  1891,  the  trustees  of  the  Philadelphia  Association 
reported  money  on  hand:  $1,  964.  The  total  receipts  of  the  Honeywell 
School  Fund  amounted  to  $4,504.02.  of  which  amount  $4,100  was 
received  from  matured  loans  of  the  city.  There  is  a  cash  balance  to 
new  account  of  $2,979.02,  of  which  balance  $2,600  awaits  re-invest- 
ment. Had  Mr.  Honeywell  endowed  Hopewell  School,  he  would  have 
prevented  the  crime  of  its  removal  to  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  by 
the  "outsiders"  of  New  Jersey. 

When  in  1830,  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  had  been 
organized,  its  Board  sent  Rev.  William  Pollard  to  Sussex  county,  to 
counteract  the  tendencies  of  our  churches  in  North  Jersey  to  anti- 
nomianism.  Later  they  sent  the  Barrass  brothers,  Thomas  and 
Edward,  who  with  Zelotes  Grenelle  and  the  Teasdale  brothers  saved 
the  older  churches  from  the  wreck  which  befell  many  others.  Thomas 
Barrass  was  the  first  pastor  of  Delaware  church  and  was  followed  by 
his  brother  Edward,  under  whom  the  house  of  worehip  was  begun  in 
in  1838.  The  succession  of  pastors  was;  J.  R.  Morris,  1841;  J.  R. 
Curran,  1842-45;  Thomas  Teasdale,  1845-47;  T.  F.  Clancy,  1849-53. 
Mr.  Clancy  was  sent  by  the  trustees  from  Frankford,  Penna.,  to  be 
principal  of  the  Honeywell  School.  He  became  pastor  of  the  Dela- 
ware church  and  was  ordained  there.  He  wrote  histories  of  the  origin 
and  growth  of  many  Baptist  churches  in  North  Jersey.  A.  Harris, 
1854;  William  M.  Jones,  1859,  and  C.  E.  Cord,  one  year.  In  1853, 
the  membership  was  sixty.     They  had  a  good  brick  meeting  house. 


MONTANA  95 

Twenty-five  were  added  by  baptism  in  one  year  and  in  1856,  a  deacon's 
widow,  Mrs.  Aten,  canceled  all  of  their  debts.  Not  reporting  to  the 
Association  for  many  years,  a  committee  was  sent  to  inquire  their 
state.  The  committee  reported  in  1870,  advising  that  the  name  be 
omitted  from  the  list  of  churches.     The  report  was  adopted. 

Antinomianism  is  supposed.  The  intense  hyper-Calvinistic  ideas 
of  the  day  had  made  way  for  it.  The  denomination  was  almost  uni- 
versally and  vitally  impaired  in  efficiency  in  New  Jersey  for  half  a 
century.  The  organization  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Con- 
vention was  providential.  Under  the  leadership  of  Pastor  Webb  of 
New  Brunswick  and  Morgan  J.  Rheese  of  First  Trenton,  the  words  of 
Caesar  after  Pompeii,  are  fitting:     "Vini,  visi,  vici." 

Rev.  T.  F.  Clancy  of  Sussex  county  wrote  an  account  of  Montana 
(Oxford)  church  in  1853.  Oxford  and  Delaware  churches  were  linked 
together  by  their  nearness  to  each  other  and  by  the  labors  of  the  two 
brothers,  Thomas  and  Edward  Barrass.  The  Oxford  church 
prospered  under  missionary  labor  and  numbered  eighty  members.  In 
1842,  temperance  and  missionary  questions  awakened  very  special 
interest.  In  the  fifties  Rev.  Mr.  Clancy  for  a  time  preached  once  in 
four  weeks  for  Oxford  until  April,  1855.  The  period  of  Mr.  Clancy's 
ministry  was  probably  short. 


9^ 


(•ii.\ni:i:  i\. 

ri,i:Mi\(i'ix)N.  SANDY  miKiK.  wkimsvii.i.i;  wn  cnKinn' 

VIII  1 


Tho  Flotjunirton  llnptiMi  cliurrli  ih  a  {lauitht«;r  of  «hr  KinffwcKxl 
rhurrh.  Kroin  17<VI.  I)avi«l  SiilUm.  N.  CUtx,  (J.  A.  Hunt  fiml  Jnmm 
Mc!,:uij:hlin.  c<ncl»  jKudor  of  KiiijiwcKKl  church,  mmnl,ain«><l  regular 
;»p|xtiniM(i'nt.H  in  Mcminglon.  Mr.  Sullon,  ctf  KinKwiKxl,  l»y  hin 
pnv»clnnR  in  Kli'mi?»jrton,  doulillctut  irillticnccd  Thonin^  l-<»wry  ami 
.l.iinc.t  I'.ilily  in  \lt\ii,  to  Riv(>  (lie  (troiind  oit  which  to  Innid  a  hnptini 
mctMinn  ho»i!«<».  Next  year.  17<M\.  Mr.  Sutton  i«'cun><l  th«>  t-nction  of 
the  hoiiJ«»  an<l  in  the  n«'nrly  twenty  ycnrn  of  hi*  clinrsfp  «»t  KinffwocKi. 
prcnchctl  in  it.  Morgan  Kdwartl«  ch^Mcrilxw  Mr.  Sutton.  "He  haw  oft(>n 
heen  compared  to  Nathaniel,  of  whom  it  w.'u*  tuiid:  'Then>  wax  no  (Oiilc 
in  him.'  "  Mr.  Sutton  w:w  i>!»i«tor  of  a  wealthy  church  and  of  a  willing 
people. 

The  pa!«t«)rate  of  Mr.  Sutton  at  KingwtKHl  wa«  a  npi'cial  Providpncc 
for  Baptist  intenwtj*.  He  wa«  the  right  man  in  the  right  place,  not 
only  to  anticipate  the  future,  hut  nn  nuich  to  contnjl  tho  influi-nc*'*! 
and  mean«  of  his  time  to  mouhl  that  future.  The  unprt*tentious  houne, 
the  building  of  which  he  ko  quickly  accompliHluHl  han  had  triple  utum. 
It  wns  a  »«mctu.ary  of  pniiw  sun!  prayer.  It  wa«  alw)  the  sanctuary 
of  our  sick  and  wountled  sohlien*  in  the  American  Revolution;  again 
it  l>ec4uno  "a  houHc  of  prayer"  !in<l  of  m««»««tg«'«  of  life  to  other  nicit  and 
woun«le<l  one.s.  Nor  yet  w.'u<  it*<  miction  done,  heing  a  lr)ng  linn-  hom«! 
.and  center  when'in  wa*«  <leveIop«*d  a  church  which  waK  :u»  antidote 
to  the  falsities  of  its  ,ancei<try.  which  cherishetl  the  faith  of  the  early 
disciples  .and  of  Haptist^s  in  these  later  time«<,  a  church  that  is  a  npring 
whenc»»  living  waters  flow  for  "the  healing  of  the  n.ationjt,"  Would  then? 
have  l)een  a  Baptist  church  in  Klemington,  so  early,  entwining  it*  rootn 
about  the  early  settlerx  and  a  foundation  of  social  order  and  piety,  had 
Mr.  Sutton  failed  to  compn-hend  the  future? 

In  the  interim  of  the  defection  of  Mr.  Cox  from  evangelical  tnith,  to 
the  coming  of  Mr.  Hunt  to  Kingwoo<l,  Kev.  Mr.  Kwing  of  Finfl  Hop«»well 
pre.achiHl  in  Flemington  once  in  four  weeks.  B.istor  Hunt  s«'ttle<l  at 
KingwjxxJ  in  October.  170.5,  thre«»  years  before  the  Flemington  church 
w.an  formed.  He  engaged  to  devote  one  third  of  his  labom  in  Heming- 
ton.     The  meeting  house  in  FlemingtOD  "wa«  almoMt  in  ruiiui."    In 


KINGWOOD  AND  FLEMINGTON  97 

the  Cox  episode  it  was  unused  and  neglected.  It  was  repaired  and 
Mr.  Hunt  baptized  six  converts.  These  with  ten  dismissed  from 
Kingwood  were  constituted  the  Flemington  church  in  1798.  Mr. 
Hunt  ministered  at  Flemington  till  1 803,  after  that  he  limited  himself  to 
Kingwood,  untU  his  resignation.  Mr.  McLaughlin  followed  Mr.  Hunt 
at  Kingwood.  He  agreed  to  divide  his  labors  between  the  two  churches, 
preaching  in  either  alternately  and  yet  Kingwood  wag  one  of  the 
wealthiest  Baptist  churches  in  the  country.  Amply  able  to  command 
the  entire  time  of  a  pastor  and  thus  at  the  sacrifice  to  itself  of  its  own 
needs  gave  a  generous  motherly  care  to  its  daughter. 

Mr.  McLaughlin  became  pastor  at  Kingwood  in  1808,  serving 
both  churches  till  1811,  when  he  followed  Mr.  Hunt's  example  and 
limited  himself  to  Kingwood.  Nearby  pastors  "supplied"  Flemington, 
as  the  church  could  secure  them  until  April,  1812,  when  Mr.  C.  Bart- 
olette  "supplied"  the  church  for  a  year.  On  May  1st,  1813,  he  was 
ordained  and  remained  as  "supply"  for  two  years  and  in  April,  1814, 
settled  as  pastor. 

There  are  events  which  mark  an  era.  Pastor  Bartolette's  coming 
to  Flemington  was  one  such.  He  was  a  wise  man  and  prudent,  an 
able  preacher,  a  good  pastor  and  like  to  his  Divine  Master,  "went  about 
doing  good."  Under  his  efficient  labors,  the  church  grew  in  strength 
and  in  number.  His  pastorate  of  thirty-four  years,  was  fuD  of  the 
tokens  of  Divine  favor.  Coming  to  the  church  when  it  was  weak, 
numbering  but  eighty  members,  at  his  resignation  in  1846,  it  was 
flourishing  and  numbered  three  hundred  members.  More  than  four 
hundred  had  been  baptized  by  him  into  the  church.  His  salary  in  1812, 
was  two  hundred  dollars;  at  the  latter  part  of  his  charge  it  was  increased 
to  four  hundred  dollars.  This  however,  was  not  the  measure  of  the 
pastors'  income,  since  it  was  a  universal  custom  in  our  churches  in  those 
days,  to  share  with  the  pastor,  various  supplies  to  the  families,  the 
furniture,  the  bam,  the  wood  and  the  poultry  yard,  which  the  writer 
knows,  exceeded  the  nominal  salary  many  hundreds  of  dollars  and 
relieved  all  anxiety  for  old  age.  Mr.  Bartolette  left  the  church  one  of 
the  most  efficient  Baptist  churches  in  the  State.  He  was  an  evangelical 
preacher,  a  high  toned  Cahdnist,  impressing  his  hearers  with  a  sense  of 
the  Divine  Sovereignty  and  of  mankind's  reprobacy.  Some  feared  that 
he  might  launch  into  the  "Dead  Sea"  of  Antinomianism.  But  he  was 
more  of  a  Christian  than  a  doctrinarian,  nor  ever  overlooked  the  fact, 
that  the  condition  of  faith  in  atoning  blood  implied  responsibility  as 
well  as  obligation.  It  is  a  tmeism,  that  Calvinistic  pastors  build  up 
strong,  numerous,  abiding  and  independent  churches.  Presbyterian- 
ism    is    an    instance.      History    verifies    Bancroft's    statement,    that 


98  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Calvinism  is  the  fountain  source  of  missions  and  of  the  mighty  agencies 
which  bless  humanity  and  gives  to  Christianity  its  aggressiveness^ 
Pastor  Bartolette  was  a  missionary  pastor. 

At  Sandy  Ridge,  a  meeting  house  was  built  in  1817  and  a  church 
organized  in  1818,  where  he  preached  half  of  the  time  till  March,  1832. 
In  1836,  a  large  and  substantial  house  of  worship  was  built  in  Fleming- 
ton.  In  that  year  also,  a  church  was  formed  at  Wertsville.  An  exten- 
sive work  of  grace  was  enjoyed  in  1838.  First  Hopewell  and  King- 
wood,  the  eldest  daughter  of  First  Hopewell,  were  missionary  churches 
until  the  cancer  of  Antinomianism  developed  in  Kingwood  in  1831-5. 
The  former,  though  deteriorating  by  the  process  of  self-absorption, 
is  still  living  because  of  her  former  spirituality  and  wealth.  King- 
wood  has  a  "name  to  live"  but  is  dead.  Baptisttown  however,  con- 
stituted of  its  evangelical  element  is  its  substitute  in  Kingwood.  Flem- 
ington  church  is  the  fourth  generation  from  Middletown,  the  succession 
being  Flemington,  Kingwood,  First  Hopewell  and  Middletown.  Five 
were  licensed  to  preach  in  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Bartolette.  Three 
were  ordained  upon  the  call  of  Flemington  church.  Of  these,  were 
the  two  brothers,  Thomas  and  Edward  Barrass.  They  labored  and 
suffered  in  destitute  places  and  served  needy  churches;  that  but  for 
such  men,  would  have  been  wholly  destitute.  Another  of  the  three 
ordained  at  Flemington  was  William  Pollard. 

All  of  them  were  earnest,  able  preachers  and  had  an  enviable  record 
among  ministers  and  churches.  Usually  our  early  ministers  were 
men  who  travelled  far  and  near;  often  were  hungry  and  poorly  clothed, 
choosing  sacrifice  and  hardship,  rather  than  leaving  a  call  unanswered, 
or  an  opportunity  for  service  unmet.  Then  and  now.  New  Jersey  has 
had  and  has,  noble,  devoted  men  who  delight  in  sacrifice  for  the  privi- 
lege of  service.  Thus  also,  they  are  everywhere;  whose  whole  purpose 
in  li^dng  is,  likeness  to  the  Divine  One,  who  "gave  himself  for  us." 
Mr.  Bartolette  spent  the  evening  of  his  days  among  the  people  to  whom 
he  had  ministered.  Their  love  clung  to  him  as  a  mantle.  He  died  in 
1852,  sixty-eight  years  old.     He  had  only  one  settlement  as  pastor. 

Rev.  C.  W.  Mulford  having  been  called  to  be  pastor,  entered  on 
his  official  duties  in  the  fall  of  1846.  Mr.  Mulford  was  quite  unlike 
his  predecessor.  Mr.  Bartolette  was  a  sedate  man  both  in  the  pulpit 
and  in  social  life.  Mr.  Mulford  was  an  animated  preacher,  genial  in 
social  life.  His  charge  was  cut  short  by  a  bronchial  affection,  to  about 
three  years,  which  issued  in  his  death.  Rev.  L.  G.  Beck  followed  Mr. 
Mulford  in  1849  and  resigned  at  the  end  of  eighteen  months.  Mr. 
Beck  was  persistent  and  the  church  very  much  against  its  wishes, 


FLEMINGTON  99 

yielded.  While  pastor,  thirty-nine  members  were  dismissed  who  with 
ten  from  Kingwood  and  one  from  Bethlehem  were  constituted  the 
Cherryville  church. 

The  same  year  in  which  Mr.  Beck  closed  his  work  in  Flemington, 
1851,  Rev.  Thomas  Swain  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  immediately 
entered  the  pastoral  office.  He  remained  sixteen  years,  closing  his 
charge  in  April,  1867.  In  Mr.  Swain's  charge  two  were  licensed  and 
ten  members  were  dismissed  to  unite  with  seventy-eight  others,  in  the 
constitution  of  a  church  at  Croton.  Three  churches  have  sprung 
directly  from  Flemington,  Sandy  Ridge  in  1818,  Wertsville,  1836; 
Cherryville  1849.  At  both  Croton  and  Ringoes  however,  Flemington 
gave  efficient  aid  to  assure  the  maintenance  of  these  bodies.  It  is 
due  to  Cherryville  church  to  say  that  she  contributed  annually  for 
many  years  to  sustain  the  pastor  at  Croton.  It  is  also  fitting  to  credit 
the  Flemington  church  for  making  up  any  lack  of  local  mission  work, 
with  large  benevolent  offerings  to  send  the  Gospel  to  far  off  regions, 
correcting  thus,  a  misapprehension  of  a  people  responsive  to  the  needs 
of  the  needy. 

Rev.  E.  A.  Wood  succeeded  Mr.  Swain.  He  began  his  pastorate 
December  1st,  1868.  The  new  house  of  worship  begun  previous  to 
the  settlement  of  Pastor  Wood,  was  dedicated  in  1868.  Mr.  Wood 
gave  up  his  pastorate  at  Flemington  in  the  summer  of  1872.  A  few 
weeks  after  Rev.  T.  E.  Vasser  entered  upon  the  pastorate  and  con- 
tinued eight  years  resigning  in  1880.  Several  months  passed;  when 
Rev.  F.  L.  Chapell  began  his  pastoral  care  in  May,  1881,  remaining 
till  July,  1889.  On  April  1st,  1890,  Rev.  J.  E.  Sagebeer  settled  as  pas- 
tor and  resigned  to  close  his  pastorate  in  1898,  when  Rev.  L.  D.  Temple 
settled  as  pastor  and  was  in  charge  in  1900. 

Some  have  held  that  if  Flemington  had  compassed  herself  with 
Baptist  churches  and  developed  them  as  she  could  have  done  Flemington 
would  have  been  a  stronger  body  than  it  is.  This  is  true  of  other  Bap- 
tist churches  formed  before  and  since  1700.  Solomon  truly  said: 
"There  is  that  scatteth  and  yet  increaseth;  and  there  is  that  withholdeth 
more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  to  poverty."  However,  pastor  and 
church  are  the  best  judges  of  localities  and  of  the  wisdom  of  planting 
new  interests.  Most  worthy  and  memorable  men  have  come  out  of 
Flemington  church  who  were  licensed  to  preach.  Among  them  were 
Thomas  and  Edward  Barrass,  brothers,  and  William  Pollard.  These 
were  both  licensed  and  ordained  at  Flemington.  They  were  able 
preachers  and  could  command  and  hold  large  congregations.  Usually 
they  expended  their  strength  in  behalf  of  small  and  dependent  churches 


100  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

or  sought  out  fields  which  but  for  them  would  have  been  left  unculti- 
vated. Exclusive  of  Mr.  Hunt  and  of  Mr.  McLaughlin,  the  church 
has  had  nine  pastors,  one  of  whom  held  his  trust  for  about  thirty-four 
years. 

Three  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use  by  the  church;  one 
built  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Sutton,  1766.  Another  in  1836,  under 
Mr.  Bartolette's  pastorate  and  a  third  in  1867-8,  and  a  vacant  pulpit. 
The  first  was  in  use  seventy-one  years;  the  second,  thirty-two  years. 
The  third  is  now  in  use  and  is  one  of  the  largest  and  in  its  appointments, 
one  of  the  best  Baptist  houses  in  the  State.  Several  members  have 
been  licensed  to  preach,  certainly  as  many  as  seven,  perhaps  others. 
More  than  one  thousand  converts  have  been  baptized  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  church  and  in  1900,  the  membership  was  within  a  fraction, 
five  hundred. 

Reference  to  churches  an  outgro^^th  of  Flemington,  must  include 
allusion  to  Rev.  C.  Bartolette,  pastor  of  Flemington  church.  Soon 
after  his  settlement,  he  distributed  his  labor  in  the  adjoining  sections 
of  which  the  church  was  a  center.  The  vicinities  of  Sandy  Ridge 
shared  largely  in  them.  On  the  Lord's  Day  in  summer,  he  preached 
in  the  homes  of  the  people.  In  winter,  on  week  evenings.  These 
ministries  had  fruit  and  on  the  24th  of  October,  1818,  nineteen  disciples 
constituted  themselves  the  Sandy  Ridge  Baptist  church.  The  Divine 
blessing  abode  upon  the  church  in  1819.  In  that  year  began  alternate 
preaching  between  Flemington  and  Sandy  Ridge  and  continued  for 
thirteen  years  and  till  the  increase  at  Flemington  demanded  Mr.  Bart- 
olette's entire  time. 

Upon  the  retirement  of  the  pastor  from  Sandy  Ridge,  Rev.  J. 
Wright  settled  there.  Prosperity  marked  the  j'ears,  1833,  1839  and 
1840.  Pastor  Wright,  after  a  useful  and  joyous  pastorate  of  more 
than  ten  years,  resigned.  Rev.  George  Young  entered  on  pastoral 
duties  in  the  spring  of  1843,  remaining  three  and  more  years,  having 
continuous  prosperity.  After  Mr.  Young  followed  Rev.  J.  E.  Rue, 
1847-1850.  In  this  time  ground  was  bought  and  a  parsonage  built. 
Rev.  J.  J.  Baker  succeeded  for  nearly  five  years,  1850-54.  Mr.  Baker 
had  a  useful  and  happy  charge.  Rev.  J.  Timberman  was  pastor, 
1854-57.  For  nine  years  from  1858  to  1867,  Rev.  S.  Sproul  ministered 
to  the  church.  1858,  1860  and  1862  were  special  seasons  of  spiritual 
harvesting.  At  a  mission  station  in  Stockton,  north  of  Sandy  Ridge, 
on  the  river  Delaware,  a  substantial  meeting  house  was  built,  to  which 
a  colony  was  sent  in  1868.  The  Sandy  Ridge  church  built  a  large, 
stone  house  of  worship  in  1866.  The  old  house  erected  in  1817  had 
been  outgrown  and  was  entirely  too  small  to  accommodate  the  con- 


SANDY  RIDGE  101 

gregation.  It  was  not  dedicated,  however,  until  a  few  weeks  after 
the  former  pastor,  George  Young's  second  pastorate  had  begun. 

The  pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  S.  Sproul  was  an  era  of  attainment 
both  at  home  and  abroad.  Its  longer  continuance  in  contrast  with 
other  short  pastorates,  had  much  to  do  with  its  efficiency.  The  man 
himself,  Mr.  Sproul,  must  not  be  left  out  of  the  accounting.  Events 
show  that  pastors  come  into  the  right  place  at  the  right  time  and  have 
specialties  in  their  ministerial  career,  which  are  exceptional  to  them- 
selves and  to  the  churches  they  serve.  Pastor  Sproul,  judging  by  the 
fruits  of  his  labors  had  such  an  experience  at  Sandy  Ridge.  A  period 
of  "supplies"  continued  till  the  second  settlement  of  Rev.  George 
Young,  beginning  anew  in  November,  1867,  and  in  the  same  month 
the  new  house  of  worship  was  dedicated.  Pastor  Young  resigned  in 
January,  1872,  "supplying"  the  church  for  some  time  after,  however. 
Rev.  B.  R.  Black  was  pastor  1873-76.  A.  W.  Peck  was  pastor  for 
a  little  while. 

In  the  spring  of  1878,  Rev.  George  Young  held  the  pastoral  office 
for  the  third  time  and  remained  two  years;  the  welfare  of  the  church 
was  much  improved  in  these  years.  Rev.  M.  B.  Lanning  followed 
1881-5.  His  service  was  helpful  in  all  respects.  Stockton  church 
united  with  the  mother  church,  in  a  joint  pastorate  under  Rev.  A. 
Cauldwell.  Churches,  in  small  villages  and  rural  districts  are  quite 
sensitive  to  financial  changes  in  commercial  centers,  also  the  tendency 
of  young  people  and  of  capital  to  the  cities  seriously  impairs  their 
strength.  Some  such,  once  the  stay  of  the  denomination,  have  been 
reduced  by  this  current  abroad  to  weakness.  Mr.  Cauldwell  resigned 
in  the  spring  of  1888.  Destitute  of  pastoral  care  until  1890,  needed 
repairs  on^the  church  edifice  and  on  the  parsonage  were  made  in  the 
interim. 

Rev.  G.  H.  Larison,  M.  D.,  became  pastor  in  1890,  being  pastor 
also  at  Rlngoes,  preaching  at  Sandy  Ridge  in  the  afternoon  and  at 
Ringoes,  morning  and  evening.  While  in  the  midst  of  a  work  of  grace, 
he  died  in  1892,  as  a  result  of  his  intense  overwork.  (See  history  of 
Ringoes  for  an  account  of  his  wonderful  labors.)  A  wonderful  man! 
As  "supply,"  Rev.  C.  A.  Mott  ministered  at  Sandy  Ridge  from  1894  to 
May,  1897,  when  Rev.  W.  G.  Robinson  settled  and  is  now  (1900)  pastor. 

Sandy  Ridge  has  had  sixteen  pastors.  Three  of  which  have  been 
joint  pastorates  with  other  churches  and  one  of  them  has  been  three 
times  in  charge  of  the  church  and  another  died  and  closed  his  ministry 
on  earth.  A  goodly  number  have  been  licensed  to  preach,  Messrs. 
C.  E.  and  W.  V.  Wilson,  brothers,  W.  E.  Lock,  A.  Ammermen,  E.  C. 
Romine,  and  the  brothers,  Judge  J.  and  J.  C.  Buchanan,  but  for  the 


102  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

removal  of  their  father  from  Sandy  Ridge,  would  have  been  in  the 
number  of  men  of  mark  from  the  church. 

Education  and  schools  had  a  place  in  the  plans  of  these  people. 
One  of  them,  Robert  Rittenhouse,  founded  a  Manual  Labor  School 
in  1831  in  his  own  home,  which  involved  his  entire  "means."  Later 
he  bought  a  more  satisfactory  property  and  widened  his  work.  Pro- 
fessors were  engaged  and  the  school  only  closed  when  Mr.  Rittenliouse 
had  exhausted  his  private  resources.  (On  education,  a  more  complete 
account  of  this  school  which  is  given  by  Rev.  W.  V.  Wilson,  one  of 
its  early  students.)  This  is  wa.s  one  of  the  eight  schools  that  gave  New 
Jersey  pre-eminence  in  the  colonies  and  the  states,  both  as  to  their 
early  origin  and  their  foremost  place  in  the  schools  of  the  land  and  adds 
to  the  folly  of  the  removal  of  Hopewell  school  to  Rhode  Island  from  its 
natural  and  proper  home.  The  two  schools,  at  Bridgeton  and  Hights- 
town  are  not  included  in  these  eight.  Under  the  Divine  hand,  strength 
and  power  are  developed  from  a  source  which  men  judge  of  little  worth. 
Thus  Sandy  Ridge,  a  plain  people,  isolated  from  the  centers  of  busy 
life,  send  out  men  whom  God  honors  with  the  largest  usefulness. 

Their  unworldliness  was  told  to  the  writer  by  a  venerable  woman, 
once  a  member  of  the  church,  now  nearly  a  hundred  years  since,  and 
said:  "It  was  customary  for  mothers  to  bring  their  infants  to  church 
and  rocking  chairs  to  church  and  other  needful  things  of  infanthood 
and  exercise  the  needful  offices  of  maternity."  Although  primitive, 
these  Godly  women  trained  giants  to  bless  the  world.  Two  houses  of 
worship  have  served  the  church.     One  built  in  1817,  another  built  in 

1866,  corresponding  in  size  to  the  large  growth  of  the  church.  A 
third  was  built  at  Stockton,  a  mission  station,  whither  the  church 
sent  a  colony  of  forty-five  members  to  organize  a  church. 

Rev.  Messrs.  Joseph  Right,  J.  J.  Baker,  A.  W.  Wigg  and  A.  Arm- 
strong are  tenderly  remembered  as  having  done  mission  work  in  Stock- 
ton long  before  a  Baptist  church  was  established  there.  By  the 
persistent  efforts  of  Rev.  S.  Sproul  of  Sandy  Ridge,  a  house  of  worship 
was  built  in  Stockton  and  dedicated  in  1861.  Messrs.  Bartle  and  A. 
Van  Sycle  gave  lots  for  the  building.  Pastor  Sproul  preached  at 
Stockton  on  alternate  Lord's  Day  afternoons.  In  1865,  Baptists  in 
Stockton  had  increased  and  agreed  to  organize  a  church.  Letters 
were  given  to  forty-five  and  on  January,  27,  1866,  formed  a  Baptist 
church.  Continuous  meetings  were  held  at  the  time  and  many  persons 
were  converted.  Rev.  C.  E.  Cordo  became  pastor  in  March,  1866, 
and  gathered  the  harvest  and  closed  his  labors  at  Stockton  in  July 

1867.  Mr.  J.  S.  Hutton  was  ordained  for  pastor  ending  his  charge  of 
three  years  in  September  1871.     In  1868,  Deacon  Wilson  of  Sandy 


STOCKTON  AND  WERTSVILLE  103 

Ridge,  (father  of  C.  E.  and  Wm.  V.  Wilson)  bought  a  lot  and  gave  it 
to  the  Stockton  church  for  a  parsonage  and  soon  after  the  parsonage 
was  built.  The  succession  of  pastors  was:  A.  Cauldwell,  1871-75; 
B.  F.  Robb,  ordained  October  1875-79;  Mr.  Noecker  ordained  1879. 
Pastor  A.  Cauldwell  returned  to  his  old  charge  in  1882-88.  Its  last 
two  years  was  a  joint  pastorate  at  Sandy  Ridge.  C.  W.  O.  Nyce,  1890; 
J.  Huffnagle,  1890-92.  "Stated  supplies"  served  the  church  for  seven 
years  to  May  1899.  In  that  year,  Rev.  E.  E.  Krauss  entered  the 
pastorate,  and  was  pastor  in  1900.  Mission  work  had  begun  con- 
temporaneously in  Stockton  and  in  Frenchtown  along  in  1850-59. 

Both  of  them  were  manufacturing  towns  on  the  Delaware  river. 
The  churches  and  the  houses  of  worship  were  undertaken  in  the  same 
years.  Churches,  in  manufacturing  places  are  subject  to  the  financial 
conditions  of  the  market  and  to  a  changing  and  often,  to  a  transient 
population,  and  if  they  do  not  have  an  endowment  in  financial  crises, 
the  pastor  is  the  chief  burden  bearer.  Straits  of  a  reduced  salary 
often  compel  pastors  to  change  when  they  ought  not  to.  A  wife 
overborn  with  hardships  of  economizing,  children  deprived  of  an 
education  which  educated  parents  know  the  value  of  is  a  compulsion 
in  the  Divine  instruction  of  I.  Timothy,  5:8. 

Stockton  has  had  eight  pastors,  one  of  whom  held  the  office  twice 
and  was  part  of  the  time  joint  pastor  of  the  mother  church.  The 
house  of  worship  built  under  Mr.  Sproul  in  1861,  of  Sandy  Ridge,  is 
still  in  use.  The  outlook  of  the  church  for  growth  and  large  mem- 
bership is  not  brilliant,  owing  to  a  limited  field  and  to  being  encom- 
passed by  older  and  influential  Baptist  churches. 

The  constituency  of  Wertsville  church  was  from  Flemington 
church.  Its  origin  was  unique,  much  like  that  of  Ledge  wood  and 
wholly  -nithout  action  by  the  maternal  church.  On  March  1,  1834, 
a  meeting  was  called  at  the  school  house  of  those  favorable  to  the 
building  of  a  Baptist  house  of  worship  in  Wertsville.  Baptists  who 
eventuaUy  formed  the  Baptist  church,  numbered  only  eight  persons. 

Although  the  number  was  small,  it  included  men  and  women  of 
generous  ideas  and  plans.  Having  discussed  the  matter,  the  meeting 
adjourned  to  the  22nd  inst.,  when  final  action  was  taken  and  articles 
of  association  were  adopted,  one  of  which  read:  "When  a  church 
shall  have  been  constituted  at  said  meeting  house  upon  the  doctrines 
and  principles  usually  held  and  practiced  by  Baptist  churches;  then 
said  church  shall  have  the  free  use  of  the  house  and  all  other  property 
pertaining  thereto."  Article  2  provided:  "The  name  shall  never  be 
changed  to  any  other  denomination."  These  Baptists  knew  what 
they  wanted  and  that  the  thing  wanted  be  made  sure.     James  Servis 


104  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  Betsey  Hoagland  gave  one  acre  of  land  as  the  site  for  the  meeting 
house  and  burying  ground  forever."     A  house  40x48  was  built  of 
stone  on  this  lot.     A  large  house  for  eight  people  to  erect  for  their 
use.     They  must  have  had  in  mind  the  saying,  "Still  there  is  room." 
We  have  no  further  account  of  this  church  edifice. 

But  on  October  1836,  a  council  recognized  these  eight  persons  as 
a  Baptist  church.  Their  names  were  N.  O.  Durham  and  Mary,  Malon 
Higgins  and  Ann,  Abraham  S.  Van  Doren,  Abraham  Larison,  Mary 
Carr  and  Elizabeth  Young,  four  men  and  four  women.  Rev.  William 
Pollard  was  their  beloved  pastor  for  the  next  three  years.  Enfeebled 
with  sickness  while  pastor,  he  died  on  November  30th,  1839.  The 
church  under  his  labors  had  grown  to  be  a  strong  and  numerous  body. 

On  the  Lord's  Day,  after  the  recognition  of  the  church,  a  husband 
and  wife  were  baptized.  Rev.  William  Pollard  became  pastor  and 
though  quite  infirm,  remained  three  years  and  died  on  November  30th, 
1839.  Under  his  labors  the  church  grew  to  be  a  strong  and  numerous 
body:  Other  pastors  were:  J.  Spencer,  1840-41;  J.  Wright,  having 
a  joint  pastorate  with  Sandy  Ridge  from  1842  and  after  at  Wertsville 
only  till  1849;  Eph'm  Sheppard,  1849-56;  George  Young,  1856-7;  Sam- 
uel Cox,  ordained  June  10th,  1858-60;  J.  Beldon,  1861-65;  then  two 
years  of  supphes;  S.  Seigfried,  1867-69;  J.  Wright,  second  charge, 
1869-73;  suffered  a  long  illness  in  1873,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
J.  M.  Helsley,  1877-78;  H.  A.  Chapman,  1882-89,  had  a  season  of 
revival.  Mr.  Chapman  was  an  art  and  mechanical  genius.  The 
house  was  transformed  under  his  oversight  and  by  his  hand,  passing 
description  in  originality  and  beauty.  Mr.  Chapman  completed  the 
reconstruction  without  cost  to  the  church.  The  small  salary  did  not 
retain  Mr.  Chapman.  Nor  did  the  Mission  Board  appropriate  the 
necessary  funds  for  his  support.  Managers  of  missions  err,  as  do 
men  in  their  private  affairs.  After  nearly  two  years  from  Mr.  Chap- 
man's going  away,  G.  W.  Leonard  settled  as  pastor  in  1891-93.  Then 
was  a  period  of  "supplies"  for  five  years,  and  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Denning 
settled  and  retired  in  1899.  Mr.  H.  W.  Moore,  a  student  ministered  for 
some  time.  The  Church  has  but  the  one  house  built,  1834-36,  which 
was  renewed  by  Mr.  Chapman. 

There  have  been  sixteen  pastors  and  long  intervals  of  "supplies." 
One  pastor  has  died,  another  has  retired  in  his  old  age  and  he  had  l)een 
pastor  twice.  Wertsville  is  a  rural  church  and  the  nearby  Flemington 
is  attractive,  being  large  and  influential. 

Cherryville  is  about  four  miles  from  Flemington  and  is  on  the  hills. 
A  fact  that  removes  it  far  off.  The  church  was  organized  with  forty- 
nine  members,  of  them  nine  were  from  Kingwood,  one  from  Bethlehem, 


CHERRYVILLE  105 

and  thirty-nine  from  Flemington.  On  October  2nd,  1849,  Baptists 
met  in  the  home  of  one  of  their  members;  adopted  articles  of  faith, 
and  covenant  and  organized  themselves  into  a  Baptist  Church.  The 
Church  located  itself  in  the  village,  the  name  of  which  it  bears. 

The  Board  of  the  Baptist  State  Convention  had  sent  a  missionary 
on  the  field:  Rev.  E.R.  Hera.  Pastor  Bartolette  and  the  Barrass  brothers, 
also  of  the  Flemington  Church,  had  long  since  been  preaching  in  these 
various  localities.  Mr.  Hera  began  his  work  in  April,  1849,  and  in  the 
next  October  the  Cherryville  Church  was  constituted.  Of  natural  loca- 
tions, Cherryville  was  nearest  to  Flemington.  Two  miles  West  was 
more  central,  but  the  largest  nucleous  of  members  was  in  Cherryville. 
Mr.  Hera  was  the  first  pastor  in  1850  and  continued  until  July,  1853, 
having  been  on  the  field  four  years.  "Supplies"  served  the  church  till 
July,  1854. 

In  1850,  a  good  meeting  house  was  built  on  the  lot  given  by  David 
Everitt.  The  location  was  out  of  the  way  on  a  beautiful  knowl,  suitable 
for  a  cemetery  for  the  dead,  but  not  for  a  site  for  a  living  church.  When, 
in  1881-2,  the  house  was  remodeled,  the  pastor  used  every  reasonable 
influence  to  remove  the  house  to  where  it  ought  to  have  first  been  put, 
on  the  corner  lot  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  among  the  homes  of  the  village. 
But  it  was  objected,  "then  we  will  have  to  move  the  horse  sheds!" 

Mr.  Hera  had  a  useful  pastorate.  The  church  was  in  entire  accord 
and  free  from  debt.  Mr.  B.  Stelle  became  pastor  in  July,  1854.  He 
won  a  large  place  in  the  love  of  his  people  and  in  the  midst  of  usefulness 
was  summoned  to  his  reward  on  high  in  August,  1864.  Within  a  few 
months  Rev.  W.  D.  Hires  took  charge  of  the  church.  He  resigned  in 
1867.  As  in  other  of  his  pastorates,  Mr.  Hires  left  the  impress  of  him- 
self on  the  church.  An  inspirer  of  men  and  women  to  attain  to  the 
highest  aims.  The  church  made  a  great  advance  under  his  labors. 
In  1867,  Rev.  William  Humpstone  was  pastor  both  at  Cherryville  and 
Croton.  His  stay  was  only  ten  months.  Limited  in  mental  quality 
and  lacking  culture,  he  was  the  opposite  of  his  predecessor.  Then,  as 
now,  culture  is  valued  by  all.  Mr.  Humpstone  was  a  good  man, 
thoroughly  earnest  and  had  many  tokens  of  divine  blessing  on  his 
labors. 

"Supplies"  ministered  to  the  people  till  April,  1869,  when  Pi,ev.  E. 
S.  Lear  entered  the  pastoral  office.  Before  his  settlement  a  parsonage 
was  bought  and  paid  for.  Cherryville  had  very  ample  financial  re- 
sources. Rev.  C.  E.  Young  occupied  the  pastorate  more  than  five 
years.  Most  unexpectedly  death  changed  the  scene  of  his  service  from 
earth  to  heaven,  in  August,  1876.  Mr.  Young  was  greatly  beloved.  A 
career  of  expanding  usefulness  and  of  the  fairest  hopes  was   strangely 


106  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  suddenly  cut  off  in  his  youth.  First  as  "supply"  and  then  as  pastor, 
Rev.  M.  B.  Laning  served  the  church  four  years  and  more. 

His  successor  was  Rev.  T.  S.  Griffiths  who  settled  in  1881  and 
resigned  in  1885,  but  supplied  the  pulpit  from  November  till  the  next 
spring.  Pastor  Griffiths  accepted  the  call  only  upon  the  personal  so- 
licitation of  the  senior  deacon,  H.  Deats,  when  he  said:  "The  call  is 
unanimous  and  if  you  do  not  come,  I  do  not  know  what  the  result  will 
be  to  the  church."  There  had  been  serious  disagreements  previously. 
Also,  upon  the  condition  that  the  meeting  house  be  renovated.  Before 
accepting  the  call  a  church  meeting  was  held,  and  Mr.  Griffiths  was  pres- 
ent. It  was  decided  to  expend  four  thousand  dollars  for  improvements 
of  the  house  of  worship,  and  the  amount  was  subscribed  within  half  an 
hour.  The  senior  deacon,  H.  Deats,  saying,  as  was  his  want,  "Brethren, 
I  will  take  my  corner."  Later  plans  involved  an  outlay  of  about  eight 
thousand  dollars.  The  entire  cost  of  the  rebuilding  was  paid  before  the 
house  was  reopened.  It  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  attractive  and 
convenient  country  meeting  houses  in  the  State.  Of  the  old  edifice, 
nothing  was  retained  except  the  frame  and  the  floor,  and  additions  were 
made  to  the  front  for  a  steeple  and  to  the  rear  for  a  baptismal  and  social 
meetings.  In  1887,  Mr.  Griffiths  learned  that  a  new  parsonage  was  not 
begun  and  meeting  Mr.  Deats  entreated  him  to  see  that  it  was  begun 
at  once  and  before  he  died.  He  did  so.  But  he  died  before  it  was 
completed.  Early  in  1886,  Pastor  W.  F.  Smith  settled  and  remained 
till  April,  1890,  Rev.  I.  D.  Mallery  followed  in  February,  1891,  to 
1897.  In  August,  1897,  Rev.  A.  E.  Finn  became  pastor  and  is  now 
(1900)  pastor. 

The  church  has  had  eleven  pastors,  two  of  whom  died  and  thus 
closed  their  pastoral  career.  The  longest  term  was  ten  years.  The 
shortest  ten  months.  Two  of  the  pastors  had  joint  pastorates  with 
Croton  church.  While  Cherryville  has  not  sent  out  colonies,  it  has 
given  largely  and  for  many  years,  to  aid  Croton  to  sustain  a  pastor. 
Other  churches  in  Hunterdon  and  in  Warren  counties  have  also  been 
cared  for  by  Cherryville  church.  Deacon  H.  Deats  was  a  constant 
helper.  The  house  at  Washington,  N.  J.,  lingered  for  years.  But 
when  Mr.  Deats  and  Cherryville  took  hold  of  it,  the  house  was  soon 
completed.  On  one  Lord's  Day  morning,  five  hundred  dollars  were 
raised  for  the  building  at  Washington  by  Cherryville  church. 


CHAPTER  X. 


SECOND  HOPEWELL,  LAMBERTVILLE    AND  RINGOES. 


Second  Hopewell  sprang  from  First  Hopewell  when  First  Hope- 
well was  a  missionary  church  and  was  organized  in  1803, (page  319, 
Minutes  of  Philadelphia  Association,  October,  1803.)  with  a  member- 
ship of  twenty-eight.  In  1804,  it  had  twenty-three  additions  by 
baptism.  Twelve  years  went  by,  before  a  pastor  ministered  to  it. 
First  Hopewell  pastor  supplied  it.  Second  Hopewell  was  a  constituent 
of  the  New  Jersey  Association  formed  in  1811.  In  1815,  Rev.  William 
E.  Ashton  was  the  first  pastor  for  one  year. 

Glimpses  behind  the  curtain  show  that  people  were  as  hard  to 
please  then,  as  now,  and  as  ready  to  take  offense  as  in  our  days.  Pas- 
tors were  as  much  as  now,  persons  on  whom  the  disgruntled  vented 
their  displeasure.  Human  nature  is  the  same,  whether  it  is  Noah, 
Christ  or  Spurgeon,  who  preaches.  The  succession  of  pastors  was, 
A.  Hastmgs,  1816-21;  J.  H.  Kennard,  1822-24;  could  have  staid  till  he 
died,  but  Zion's  King  had  other  use  for  him  in  the  city  where  he  min- 
istered many  years  in  its  tenth  church.  Samuel  Trott,  1827-30.  An 
antinomian,  his  influence  determined  the  withdrawal  of  the  church 
from  the  Baptist  faith  and  plunged  it  into  antinomianism,  also  upon 
the  venerable  and  infirm  pastor  of  First  Hopewell.  Mr.  Boggs,  who 
also  with  his  church  lost  their  footing  on  the  grace  of  salvation  and 
were  swept  into  the  antinomian  bog.  S.  Trott  was  pastor  of  Second 
Hopewell  in  1829  and  C.  Suydam  in  1832.  In  1835  the  Association 
referred  the  letters  of  First  and  Second  Hopewell  to  Brethren  Wright 
and  Stites.  Their  report  was  adopted  and  agreeable  there  to.  (See 
Minutes  of  1835,  page  3,  item  26,)  "the  names  of  said  churches  were 
dropped  from  our  minutes."  Second  Hopewell  lingered  the  life  of 
a  weakling. 

Outside  of  its  locality  (Harbourton)  it  is  spoken  of  as  "dead." 
Pastors  of  First  Hopewell  (living  on  its  original  vitality)  preach  at 
Kingwood  and  Second  Hopewell,  keeping  up  a  nominal  existence. 
Strange  it  is,  but  Second  Hopewell  has  an  active  Christian  offshoot, 
Lambertville,  which  while  it  does  not  repudiate  its  maternity,  does 
not  glory  in  it.  Under  the  Christian  influences  at  Lambertville,  the 
Baptist  church  there  was  saved  from  the  wreck  that  overtook  First 


108  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  Second  Hopewell.  Second  Hopewell  located  at  Harbourton  and 
there  was  the  opened  grave  and  the  coffined  tenant,  which  the  daugh- 
ter prays  that  it  might  have  a  "resurrection  unto  life." 

While  J.  H.  Kennard  was  pastor  of  Second  Hopewell  (Harbourton, 
near  Lambertville,)  in  1822-24,  he  occasionally  preached  in  Lambert- 
ville  at  the  home  of  Phillip  Marshall  and  of  William  Garrison,  mem- 
bers of  Second  Hopewell  church.  Other  Baptist  ministers,  also 
preached  at  the  houses  of  other  Baptists  living  in  Lambertville.  Sandy 
Ridge  was  more  accessible  from  Lambertville  than  Harbourton  and 
Baptists  in  New  Hope  worshipped  at  Sandy  Ridge  before  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Lambertville  church. 

The  Baptist  church  in  Lambertville  was  constituted  on  February 
10th,  1825,  with  but  five  members.  Within  a  short  time,  Rev.  J. 
Booth  united  with  the  church  by  lettter  and  alternated  with  Rev.  J. 
McLaughlin  as  "supplies."  Mr.  McLaughlin  had  been  twice  pastor 
at  Kingwood  and  was  well  known  at  Second  Hopewell  and  its  out 
stations.  At  the  first  business  meeting  in  Lambertville  church,  it 
was  resolved  to  build  a  house  of  worship  and  the  lot  on  which  their 
meeting  house  is,  was  bought  and  the  church  edifice  dedicated  in 
October,  1825.  A  minute  in  the  church  book  reads-  "Lord's  Day, 
August  7th,  1825,  the  church  met  at  Mr.  Blodgett's,  from  thence  went 
to  the  Delaware  River,  because  there  "was  much  water  there,"  and 
Mrs.  Blodgett  was  baptized.  Rev.  Samuel  Trott  was  called  in  con- 
nection with  Second  Hopewell,  preaching  alternately  at  each  place. 
Mr.  Trott  being  an  antinomian,  sowed  the  seeds  which  developed  in 
Hopewell  to  its  extinction  and  impregnated  Lambertville,  impressing 
some  young  men  licensed  to  preach  with  his  false  teaching.  Among 
them  Mr.  B.  D.  Stout,  who  was  chosen  as  a  "supply"  and  soon  after 
was  ordained  and  finally  called  to  be  pastor  serving  as  such  for  five 
years.  Mr.  Stout's  father  was  a  Deacon  of  the  church  and  for  years 
its  only  male  member. 

Providentially,  Lambertville  church  was  compassed  with  Christian 
influences  and  both  the  church  and  Mr.  Stout  saved  from  the  snare 
of  falsehood.  The  pastorate  of  Mr.  -Stout  was  prosperous.  The 
membership  increased  more  than  fourfold,  even  though  by  a  division, 
many  were  dismissed  to  Second  Hopewell  and  other  antimission 
churches.  A  succession  of  short  pastorates  followed  Mr.  Stout's 
removal  to  Middletown  in  1837:  Mr.  Daniel  Kelsay  was  ordained 
about  May  1837.  Rev.  J.  Segur  followed  in  1838.  Interims  of  pastors 
occurred.  Rev.  George  Young  was  pastor  early  in  the  1840's.  J.  B. 
Walter  closed  his  charge  in  1843,  who  with  twenty-three  members 
were  dismissed  to  constitute  the  Solebury  church  in   Pennsylvania. 


LAMBERTVILLE  AND  RINGOES  109 

A  second  pastorate  of  George  Young  occurred  till  January  1845. 
Mr.  William  B.  Shrope  was  "supply"  and  then  pastor  until  April  1849. 
Many  were  added  by  baptism  under  his  labors.  Rev.  J.  Davis  followed 
from  May  1849  to  Augu.st  1850.  A  year  of  "supplies"  came,  when 
in  1851,  Rev.  A.  Armstrong  became  pastor,  resigning  in  1860.  A 
parsonage  was  built  in  this  charge.  As  yet  the  longest  pastorate  the 
church  has  had.  Rev.  H.  A.  Cordo  served  as  pastor,  18G1-64,  after 
whom  Rev.  F.  Johnson  had  a  short  stay  and  Rev.  C.  E.  Young  followed 
for  about  three  years.  A.  D.  WilUfer,  who  settled  in  1809,  was 
excluded  for  immoralities  in  1873.  Rev.  C.  H.  Thomas  was  pastor 
five  years  and  Rev.  W.  M.  Wick  for  four  years. 

In  1883,  a  new  and  costly  house  of  worship  was  dedicated.  The 
building  had  been  in  progress  since  September,  1868  and  in  March 
1870,  the  basement  was  used  for  worship.  In  the  meantime,  interest 
on  an  enormous  debt  and  the  progress  of  the  house  by  annual  dribs, 
tested  the  endurance  of  the  church  and  was  a  burden  and  hindrance 
to  all  prosperit3\  A  recent  pastor  said  to  the  writer  that,  "When  he 
hears  the  fire  bells  he  hopes  it  is  the  Baptist  church  edifice."  The 
building  in  design,  in  acoustics  and  in  cost  is  an  affliction.  Rev.  C.  H. 
Woolston  was  pastor  1885-87;  W.  W.  Bullock,  1887-91;  F.  H.  Cooper, 
1892;  E.M.  Lightfoot,  1894-97;  a  former  pastor,  H.  A.  Cordo,  1898-1900. 

LambertAdlle  has  had  twenty-one  pastors.  Two  of  them  have  had 
second  charges.  Seven  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  Two 
were  ordained  at  home  and  one  to  be  pastor  where  he  had  been  bap- 
tized and  licensed.  Two  churches  have  gone  out  of  Lambertville, 
Solebury,  Penn.,  and  Ringoes,  each  of  which  were  originated  by  G.  H. 
Larison,  M.  D.,  who  was  licensed  and  ordained  by  Lambertville  church. 
(See  History  of  Ringoes  church.)  In  May  1839,  the  manufacture, 
sale  and  habitual  use  of  intoxicants  was  made  a  disciplinary  offence 
and  membership  was  denied  to  any  unwilling  to  comply  with  the  rule. 
An  early  antinomian  element  in  the  church,  the  blighting  influence  of 
the  mother  church,  the  long,  hard  struggle  under  the  burden  of  debt 
to  build  their  new  house  of  worship  (which  was  an  extremity  of  folly 
into  which  the  church  was  led  by  unwise  and  heedless  pastors;) 
evinces  the  devotion  of  these  Baptists;  their  love  of  the  truth  and 
their  purpose  to  maintain  it. 

Ringoes  is  in  Hunterdon  county  about  six  miles  from  Fleming- 
ton.  Baptist  interests  there  had  their  earliest  paternity  in  the  King- 
wood  Baptist  church  (now  Baptisttown)  whose  pastors  made  it  a 
mission  station.  Ringoes  is  not  referred  to  in  the  minutes  of  the 
Flemington  church  till  long  after  Dr.  Larison  of  Lambertville  had 
developed  Baptist  interests  in  and  about  the  town.     Still  it  is  certain 


110  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

that  such  a  pastor  as  C.  Bartolette  would  not  omit  it  from  his  labors. 

Lambertville,  however,  through  G.  H.  Larison,  M.  D.,  one  of  its 
most  active  and  inteUigent  members,  sought  out  Ringoes.  "He  can- 
vassed the  field  in  1867  with  the  village  as  a  center  finding  four  Baptists 
in  the  town  and  two  other  friends  of  Baptist  faith  willing  to  unite  and 
and  sustain  Baptist  meetings  in  Ringoes."  A  meeting  was  appointed 
at  the  office  of  C.  W.  Larison,  M.  D.,  of  Ringoes,  brother  of  Dr.  G.  H. 
Larison  of  Lambertville.  When  a  committee  was  chosen  to  find  a 
room  in  which  to  hold  meetings  and  to  report  at  an  adjourned  meeting 
next  week  in  the  office  of  Dr.  C.  W.  Larison  of  Ringoes.  The  com- 
mittee reported  that  not  a  room  could  be  had  and  "that  not  even  the 
school  house  would  be  allowed  for  that  use."  A  numerous  Presbyterian 
church  was  in  the  village  and  controlled  the  schoolhouse  by  the  trustees. 
This  policy  illustrates  the  uniform  habit  by  Presbyterians  toward 
Baptists  and  interprets  their  pretense  of  union.  The  writer  knows 
of  worse  things  in  New  Jersey  of  them  than  this.  There  was  but  one 
other  place  in  the  village  where  Baptists  could  meet,  Dr.  C.  W.  Larison's 
office,  and  they  met  there  for  seven  weeks  on  Saturday  afternoons. 

In  October  thay  bought  a  large  plot  of  ground  and  paid  for  it. 
Trustees  were  chosen  to  hold  the  property  and  to  build  a  house  of 
worship.  The  church  edifice  was  built  in  1868.  The  church  was 
constituted  in  September  1868,  with  twelve  members,  about  a  year 
after  Mr.  Swain  resigned  at  Flemington.  The  constituents  represented 
three  churches,  Lambertville,  Sandy  Ridge  and  Flemington.  Another 
A.  B.  Larison,  M.  D.,  was  a  constituent  of  Sandy  Ridge.  "Supplies" 
served  the  church  until  January  1870,  when  Dr.  A.  B.  Larison  was 
called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained  in  February  1870. 

Dr.  Larison  while  a  surgeon  in  the  Civil  War,  1861-4  contracted  a 
fatal  disease,  which  terminated  his  life  and  his  earth  work  in  September 
1872,  not  however,  till  the  debt  for  the  house  of  worship  was  paid. 
Scores  of  converts  were  added  to  the  church,  while  he  was  pastor  and 
he  was  greatly  beloved.  Rev.  E.  I.  Pierce  entered  the  pastor's  office 
October  1873  and  resigned  early  in  1875.  T.  C.  Young  was  pastor  a 
year.  Mr.  Helsley  followed  and  was  ordained  in  June  1876,  closing 
his  pastoral  care  in  April  1882.  The  pastors  following  were:  F. 
Wilson,  a  year,  1883;  E.  M.  Gerald,  about  ten  months  in  1884.  Alien- 
ation came  and  the  house  of  worship  was  closed  for  nearly  six  months. 
The  sympathies  of  the  people  went  out  to  their  old  friend,  Dr.  G.  H. 
Larison  of  Lambertville,  who  had  entered  the  ministry. 

He  added  to  the  calls  of  his  medical  practice  the  duties  of  supply 
at  Ringoes,  beginning  there  in  July  1887.  Rising  very  early  on  the 
Lord's  Day  he  made  his  physician's  calls  and  rode   seven   miles   to 


RINGOES  111 

Ringoes,  thence  six  miles  to  Sandy  Ridge,  preached  in  the  afternoon, 
returned  to  Ringoes,  preached  in  the  evening  and  then  seven  miles 
home  to  Lambertville;  in  all  twenty-six  miles;  three  sermons  and 
early  morning  physician's  visit  and  also  a  large  "practice  on  the  week 
days  at  home.  He  maintained  these  labors  for  about  five  years,  enjoying 
a  large  blessing  on  his  ministry.  It  will  not  be  a  surprise  that  he  died 
at  the  end  of  five  years  in  1892.  It  is  proper  to  add  that  this  good  man 
voluntarily  served  thus  at  his  own  cost. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Leonard  was  pastor  at  Ringoes  for  a  year  after  Dr. 
Larison's  death.  Early  in  1894,  Rev.  T.  C.  Young  began  a  pastorate 
of  about  two  years.  A  succession  of  pastors  was:  A.  Wells,  1896-98; 
G.  Poole,  1898-99.  Ringoes  Baptist  church  was  planted  in  a  Pedo 
Baptist  community  under  the  shadow  of  a  large  congregation  dis- 
avowing our  ideas  of  truth  and  of  duty  and  who  needed  the  better 
light  of  the  Gospel  of  grace.  Pedo  Baptists  are  helpless  in  the  light  of 
New  Testament  teaching.  Rev.  William  Grant  entered  the  pastor's 
office  in  1899  and  was  pastor  in  1900. 

Twelve  pastors  have  served  the  church.  Two  of  them  died  while 
pastors,  brothers  and  physicians.  Another  brother  and  physician 
was  a  resident  of  Ringoes.  One  of  these  brothers  held  the  pastoral 
office  twice.  A  sister  of  these  brothers  was  also  an  influential  woman, 
holding  a  high  educational  professorship  and  was  principal  of  an 
important  academy. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


HIGHTSTOWN. 

Up  to  1786  the  Hightstown  Baptist  church  had  been  known  as 
the  Cranbury  Baptist  church;  named  at  Cranbury  from  its  original 
location  in  that  village,  about  two  miles  distant  from  Hightstown. 
The  church  removed  to  Hightstown  in  1785.  A  tradition  of  seventy 
and  more  years  since  was  an  arrangement  with  the  Presbyterians, 
that  if  the  Baptists  would  remove  to  Hightsto-noi,  the  Presbyterians 
would  leave  that  place  to  them  and  not  found  a  Presbyterian  church 
there.  It  is  too  late  to  verify  any  such  arrangement  and  if  made,  was 
only  verbal.  The  removal  however,  avoided  local  rivalries,  and 
afforded  opportunity  for  a  larger  number  of  people  to  hear  the  Gospel 
and  to  enjoy  the  privilege  of  religious  worship.  New  Jersey  was  a 
preferred  resort  for  Baptist  colonists  in  the  17th  century.  North,  east, 
west  and  south,  they  were  an  important  element  of  the  first  settlers. 
Of  those  locating  in  Monmouth  county.  Baptists  were  foremost  and 
most  numerous.     Their  influence  in  adjaent  sections  was  A-ery  great. 

The  Middletovra  Baptist  church  formed  in  1668  had  a  large  con- 
stituency and  widely  scattered.  The  country  included  a  very  large 
section  and  Middletown  township  included  a  large  part  of  the  county. 
Many  constituents  of  the  church  located  at  Upper  Freehold,  others 
at  Jacobstown  and  at  various  points  south  of  Hightstown.  Their 
wide  distribution,  involved  several  centers  where  houses  of  worship 
were  built,  the  people  themselves  evidently  having  ample  means  both 
to  provide  for  themselves  as  well  as  to  erect  many  places  of  worship, 
where  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  were  admin- 
istered and  pastors  from  the  original  church  preached  in  the  earliest 
periods  of  settlement  of  the  country.  It  fact,  the  same  mistake  was 
made  at  both  Holmdel  and  Upper  Freehold,  that  of  not  organizing 
new  churches.  Hohndel  would  then  have  retained  its  original  date 
and  Upper  Freehold  but  a  little  later,  1668.  These  bodies,  had 
with  First  Hopewell  and  Jacobstown  the  lineal  descendants  and  names 
of  the  constituents  of  the  original  Middletown  church.  Both  Cran- 
bury and  Hightstowm  were  on  the  route  of  pastors  from  either,  their 
homes  or  from  the  parsonage  at  Holmdel  to  Upper  Freehold,  where 
they  could  stop  and  preach  as  they  were  accustomed  to  do.  A  reason 
why  Cranbury  (Hightstown)  antedates  Upper  Freehold  is,  that  being 
nearer  the  mother  church,  it  would  have  the  sustaining  care  of  the  old 


HIGHTSTOWN  113 

church,  as  well  as  afford  to  Upper  Freehold  and  Jacobstown,  where 
many  constituents  of  Middletown  lived,  nearer  headquarters  of  Gospel 
ministries  and  of  the  ordinances. 

The  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Association(Minute  1745,  page  49, 
A.  B.  P.  Soc.  Ed.  1851.)  state:  "Agreed  and  concluded  pursuant 
to  requests  made  by  the  brethren  about  Cranbury,  that  our  brethren, 
Nathaniel  Jenkins  and  Jenkins  Jones  be  at  Cranbury,  Friday  the  first 
day  of  November,  in  order  to  settle  the  members  there,  in  church  order." 
Seventeen  persons  were  present,  members  of  the  Middletown  church, 
who  covenanted  with  each  other  as  a  Baptist  church,  a  Baptist  church 
distinctively.  Other  denominations  were  allied  to  reject  their  views 
of  New  Testament  teaching  and  Baptists  were  at  a  great  discount  as 
disciples  of  Christ.  This  opposition  was  to  Baptists  a  bond  of  unity 
and  of  assertion  of  their  faith,  inciting  them  to  exceeding  watchfulness 
lest  an  erroneous  minister  or  a  church,  come  into  their  fellowship.  Out 
of  this  grew  the  custom  of  asking  the  association  to  appoint  men  to  at- 
tend the  organization  of  a  church  and  the  ordination  of  a  minister. 
Numbers,  culture,  repute,  place  and  even  the  Baptist  idea  of  individu- 
ality were  wholly  subordinate  to  guarding  against  infection  by  error. 

Pastors  Jenkin  Jones,  of  Penepack,  Pa.,  and  Nathaniel  Jenkins  of 
Cohansie  were  present  November  1st,  1745,  in  Cranbury  "to  settle  the 
Baptists  there  in  church  order."  One  of  the  constituents  was  James 
Carman,  a  licentiate  of  Middletown  church.  The  organization  of  the 
church  was  probably  due  to  him,  he  having  been  "licensed  to  preach 
among  that  branch  of  the  Middletown  church  which  resided  at  Cran- 
bury." On  the  next  Lord's  Day,  November  3rd,  1745,  Mr.  Carman  was 
ordained  for  the  pastorate  of  the  new  church.  At  this  time  he  was 
sixty-seven  years  old,  a  time  of  life  in  which  men  are  considering  the 
question  of  retiring  from  public  life.  There  is  but  one  other  Baptist 
pastor  in  New  Jersey  ordained  so  late  in  life.  Rev.  C.  C.  Lathrop, 
ordained  at  Deckertown  in  1887,  when  sixty-nine  years  old.  Pastor 
Carman  was  a  remarkable  man.  Like  the  early  time  pastors,  he 
was  a  missionary  pastor.  Three  or  four  sermons  a  week,  forty  or 
more  miles  to  an  appointment  did  not  content  him;  now  in  Hunter- 
don county  and  then  in  New  York  City  were  chosen  opportunities  to 
do  "what  he  could."  When  seventy-four  years  old  he  was  an  appointed 
preacher  at  the  Philadelphia  Association. 

Rev.  Mr.  Parkinson,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  church  in  New 
York  City,  preached  a  historical  sermon  at  that  church  on  January  1st, 
1813,  and  says:  "After  which  (the  loss  of  former  ministries)  Rev. 
James  Carman  of  Cranbury  (Hightstown)  visited  them  and  baptized 
till  their  number  increased  to  thirteen  when,  they  were  advised  (prob- 


114  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

ably  by  Mr.  Carman)  to  unite  themselves  to  the  church  at  Scotch 
Plains  of  New  Jersey,  so  as  to  be  considered  a  branch  of  that  church 
and  to  have  Mr.  Miller,  its  pastor,  preach  and  administer  the  Lord's 
Supper  once  a  quarter."  This  was  in  1753,  the  eighth  year  of  Mr. 
Carman's  settlement,  when  he  was  at  least  seventy-four  or  seventy- 
five  years  old.  Note  the  wisdom  of  this  Council.  Pastor  Miller  was 
known  to  care  for  the  cause  of  Christ  wherever  his  charge.  Scotch 
Plains  was  the  nearest  accessible  church.  Mr.  Carman  was  an  old  man. 
New  York  City  was  at  least  fifty  miles  from  his  home  and  he  must 
ride  all  that  long  way  on  horseback  on  trails,  and  having  a  large  field 
at  home,  it  needed  his  whole  time  and  strength.  Thus  he  made  sure 
to  provide  for  the  New  York  Baptists,  not  only  one  of  the  ablest  men 
of  his  day,  but  also  one  of  the  most  devoted  men.  Mr.  Carman's  salary 
was  so  small  that  no  mention  is  made  of  it.  He  probably  made  these 
journeys  at  his  own  cost,  "for  Christ's  sake,"  was  the  law  of  his  life. 
He  died  in  1756,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  having  been  pastor 
eleven  years. 

There  must  be  no  withholding  of  honor  or  credit  from  Scotch 
Plains  church,  nor  from  its  great  and  devoted  pastor,  Benjamin  Miller, 
for  their  part  in  laying  the  foundations  of  New  York  City  Baptist 
interests,  nor  from  the  man  who  suffered  hardships  and  self  denials 
to  plant  well  and  make  sure  the  seed  of  the  tree  under  the  shade  of 
which,  tens  of  thousands  sit,  and  the  fruit  of  which  has  been  a  blessing 
to  the  whole  earth.  Yet  such  a  man  as  James  Carman,  whose  prayers 
and  hardships  and  long  journeys  and  words  of  cheer  and  counsels  of 
wisdom  have  borne  fruit  in  the  prosperity  which  has  blessed  the  world, 
must  not  be  forgotten,  as  one  chosen  of  God  for  the  increase  in  which 
we  rejoice.  Having  finished  his  work,  the  good  man  died  and  was 
buried  near  the  old  meeting  house  in  Cranbury.  In  1899,  his  remains 
were  disinterred  and  buried  near  the  house  of  God  in  Hightstowm. 

An  interim  of  six  weary  pastorless  years  passed.  Then  Peter 
Wilson,  whom  Mr.  Carman  had  baptized  was  called  and  ordained  for 
the  pastorate  on  May  13th,  1782.  The  labors  of  this  man  were  apostolic 
whether  we  speak  of  the  long  and  frequent  journies  he  made  to  des- 
titute places;  to  his  incessant  labors;  to  his  cheerful  response  to  the 
calls  made  upon  him;  to  the  great  and  many  revivals  which  attended 
his  ministry,  or  to  the  eminent  men  whom  he  instrumentally  brought 
into  the  kingdom  of  righteousness.  The  story  of  his  life  and  work 
has  been  effectively  told  by  a  succeeding  pastor,  nearly  eighty  years 
after  Mr.  Wilson  had  gone  to  his'reward,*Rev.  O.  P.  Eaches.  That 
record  of  a  wonderfurman  and  his  no  less*wonderful  career,  is  more 
fittingly  told  than  could  be  by  a  comparative  stranger.      The  example 


niGlITSTOWN  115 

and  influence  of  his  pastor,  James  Carman,  was  very  positive  with  Mr. 
Wilson.  He  had  grown  up  under  it.  The  self  sacrifice  and  zeal  and 
devotion  of  pastor  Carman  had  vast  rewards  in  its  silent  training  of 
the  young  man,  who  later  would  stand  in  his  place.  After  Mr.  Wilson 
resigned  in  November,  1816,  he  still  supplied  the  church  till  June  1817, 
his  pastorate  really  lasting  thirty-five  years. 

How  immensely  his  wife  had  to  do  in  the  make-up  of  the  man, 
may  be  inferred  from  the  statement  of  Morgan  Edwards  of  her.  He 
said:  "It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  Mrs.  Wilson  encouraged  him 
in  his  wishes,  saying  she  would  go  to  the  washtub  or  take  a  hoe  in  her 
hand  rather  than  he  should  go  without  learning."  Who  can  limit  a 
man's  attainment  with  such  a  hallowed  home  inspiration?  Only  the 
grace  of  God  has  more  to  do  with  the  making  or  unmaking  of  a  man 
than  that  of  a  wife.  Her  name,  Mary  Fisher,  ought  to  be  enrolled 
among  the  nobility  of  our  churches. 

An  interim  of  eighteen  months  occurred  after  Mr.  Wilson  resigned, 
during  part  of  which,  Rev.  John  Seger  was  supply  and  on  May  1st,  1818, 
settled  as  pastor,  remaining  eighteen  years.  While  yet  in  business 
he  had  been  ordained  in  New  York  City  in  January  1873.  Mr.  Seger 
made  no  pretence  to  scholarship,  but  the  "Book  of  books"  was  his 
constant  study.  He  was  an  instructive  preacher  and  a  successful 
pastor,  having  frequent  and  large  accessions  of  baptized  converts. 
At  his  resignation  the  membership  of  the  church  was  one  third  larger 
than  when  he  became  pastor  and  it  was  the  largest  in  membership 
of  any  Baptist  church  in  the  State.  Mr.  Seger  was  President  of  the 
Convention  that  organized  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention 
in  1830  at  Hamilton  Square. 

In  the  same  year  in  which  Pastor  Seger  resigned,  Rev.  C.  W. 
Mulford  entered  the  pastorate  in  December,  1836,  and  continued  pastor 
ten  years.  Mr.  Mulford  was  a  stanch,  out  spoken  temperance  man. 
Only  one  other  Baptist  minister,  oftener  and  more  imperatively  com- 
manded public  attention  to  the  subject,  Rev.  Samuel  Aaron.  Mr. 
Mulford  succeeded  M.  J.  Rhees  in  the  secretaryship  of  The  New  Jersey 
State  Convention.  Pastor  Rhees  removing  from  the  state  and  from 
being  secretary,  Rev.  C.  W.  Mulford  was  chosen  President  of  that 
body.  He  was  one  of  the  Quartette,  always  present  at  its  annual  and 
quarterly  meetings  of  the  Board,  Judge  P.  P.  Runyan,  G.  S.  Webb, 
S.  J.  Drake  and  C.  W.  Mulford,  men  always  ready  to  undertake  any 
service  for  the  promotion  of  the  interests  of  the  Baptist  churches  and 
cause  in  the  State  or  out  of  it.  Mr.  Mulford  died  at  Flemington  in 
1864  with  an  incurable  disease. 


116  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Rev.  George  Young  followed  on  April  1st,  1847,  closing  his  pastoral 
care  at  Hightstown  in  April,  1851.  Mr.  Young's  pastorates  were 
always  short,  but  a  second  or  a  third  charge  in  the  same  church  was  a 
usual  thing  in  his  ministry.  He  was  a  highly  cultured  pastor,  exceeded 
by  few  in  his  day.  Had  he  contented  himself  with  continuance  in 
his  pastorates  he  would  have  been  a  greater  power  for  good.  But 
his  custom  of  scattering  himself  limited  him  in  all  respects. 

After  a  few  weeks,  Rev.  J.  B.  Saxton  became  pastor  at  Hights- 
town in  May  1851,  staying  only  till  October  1852.  On  the  following 
March  1853,  E.  M.  Barker  having  settled  remained  four  years.  Mr. 
Barker  was  a  conscientious  man  and  amusements  like  croquet  were 
only  evil  to  him.  Still  he  enjoyed  a  "smoke."  The  specialty  of  his 
charge  in  Hightstown  was  the  erection  of  the  spacious  and  creditable 
house  of  worship  now  in  use,  dedicated  in  February  1858,  in  the  pastor- 
ate of  Rev.  L.  Smith,  who  entered  the  pastorate  December  1st,  1857. 
Mr.  Smith  was  a  very  frail  man  when  he  came  to  Hightstown  and  did 
not  improve.  Disease  shortened  his  stay.  He  died  at  St.  Paul,  Minn., 
August  25th,   1864. 

Arrangements  were  made  in  January  1864,  for  a  private  school. 
The  room  over  the  lecture  room  was  granted  to  Rev.  L.  Smith,  the 
pastor,  for  a  schoolroom  free  of  charge  for  one  year,  and  Miss  Gurr 
was  employed  to  teach  the  pupils  "gathered  from  the  congregation." 
Thus  the  privacy  of  the  school  was  assured  by  Pastor  Smith  having 
control  of  the  room  and  of  the  school  and  by  the  pupils  of  the  Baptist 
congregation,  subsequently  the  Haas  brothers  adopted  the  school, 
which  they  gave  up  upon  the  location  and  organization  of  "Peddie 
Institute."  These  plans  were  in  anticipation  of  the  action  of  the 
New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  to  found  a  Baptist  school  in  the 
State  within  a  few  years.  Hightstown  was  a  fitting  location.  A 
friend  of  the  movement  in  Hightstown  Rev.  Joshua  E.  Rue,  anticipating 
the  opportunity  of  Hightstown  to  secure  the  location  of  the  school 
travelled  in  the  State  in  behalf  of  HightstowTi.  Eventually  the  loca- 
tion was  made  at  Hightstown.  In  the  fall  of  1869,  the  main  building 
of  the  Institute  was  dedicated.  It  had  cost  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  and  the  Board  was  seriously  in  debt.  Later,  through 
the  efforts  of  Rev.  William  V.  Wilson,  funds  were  collected  to  pay  the 
debt  and  cancel  all  claims  against  the  Board. 

Additional  property  has  been  bought  and  given  to  the  school, 
enlarging  its  campus  to  twen'y-six  acres.  A  Ijeautiful  library  building 
was  built  by  Jonathan  and  Mary  Longstreet,  named  the  "Longstrect 
Library."  A  dining  hall,  including  all  needed  kitchen,  culinary  and 
laundry  appliances  has  been  built.     The  dining  hall  is  large  and  favor- 


HIGHTSTOWN  117 

ably  compares  in  style  and  beauty  and  convenience  with  any,  anywhere. 
An  athletic  field  and  its  appointments,  a  telescope  and  observatory, 
laboratory  thoroughly  furnished,  also  the  scientific  department  with 
a  fine  collection  of  shells,  minerals  and  geological  specimens,  crowned 
with  an  endowment  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  thousand  dollars 
completes  an  equipment  of  the  school  that  is  a  foremost  one  in  the 
nation. 

A  record  of  Hightstown  must  include  denominational  education 
affairs.  The  convention  which  met  in  Hightstown  in  1811  to  form 
the  New  Jersey  Association,  appointed  a  committee  to  report  plans 
for  a  school.  There  had  been  in  New  Jersey  a  knowledge  of  educational 
methods  in  the  colonies  and  there  was  a  higher  educational  tone  here 
than  elsewhere.  On  account  of  its  central  location  and  its  staunch 
Baptist  interests,  there  was  a  disposition  among  Baptists  to  locate 
there.  Acquaintance  with  the  minutia  of  education  in  the  colonies, 
showed  that  New  Jersey  was  a  preferred  place  and  an  immense  advance 
on  any  other  colony.  The  first  free  school  was  begun  here  in  1668. 
The  first  legacies  for  Baptist  schools  were  in  this  colony  and  the  first 
Baptist  schools  were  here  also. 

The  sources  of  its  population  explain  the  fervor  with  which  edu- 
cational movements  were  welcomed.  The  Holland  colonists  were 
required  as  a  condition  of  their  emigrating  to  America  to  take  im- 
mediate steps  to  found  a  church  and  a  school.  The  "P>iends"  (Quakers) 
invariably  by  mutual  agreement  built  school  houses  alongside  of  their 
meeting  houses.  Christian  denominations  entered  into  a  race  for  the 
earliest  effort  to  found  secondary  schools  and  colleges.  (See  History 
of  Education  in  New  Jersey,  issued  by  the  government  in  1899,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.) 

On  June  19th,  1864,  Ruv.  Isaac  Butterfield  entered  the  pastoral 
office.  He  was  a  man  of  rare  worth  and  a  preacher  eminent  for  clear- 
ness, simplicity  and  powers,  unpretentious  in  scholarship,  but  "mighty 
in  the  Scriptures."  The  spacious  house  of  worship  was  packed  with 
an  immense  congregation  entranced  by  his  expositions  of  sin's  ruin, 
of  righteousness  and  of  "judgment  to  come."  His  stay  as  pastor 
was  only  two  years.  On  May  1st,  1867,  Rev.  Lyman  Chase  became 
pastor  and  resigned  in  two  years  to  take  a  professorship  in  Pcddie 
Institute.  While  a  man  of  intelligence  and  culture  he  was  not  an 
aggressive  pastor,  better  adapted  to  teach  than  to  develop  a  church 
into  efficiency.  After  Mr.  Chase  resigned,  "supplies"  ministered  to 
the  church  something  more  than  a  year. 

In  June,  Rev.  O.  P.  Eaches  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor  and  is  now 
(1900)  holding  the  office.     When  Mr.  Eaches  settled  as  pastor,  the 


118  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

membership  was  three  Imndred  and  seventy.  In  1900,  it  was  live 
himdred  and  thirty-nine.  Each  of  these  thirty  years  there  have  been 
additions  by  baptism.  The  whole  number  of  Baptisms  since  June 
1870,  to  June  1900  has  been  seven  hundred  and  forty-three. 

Since  its  constitution,  the  church  has  been  financially  independent. 
From  September  1766,  to  October  1786,  ten  years,  had  there  been  a 
local  mission  society  to  aid  struggling  churches,  the  church  might 
have  asked  aid.  Pastors'  salaries  were  small  in  the  early  times,  oftener 
they  cared  for  themselves,  either  living  on  their  own  farms  or  on  a 
parsonage  farm.  Pastor  Wilson  had  a  salary  of  six  hundred  dollars 
and  since  then  pastors  of  Hightstown  have  had  a  definite  income.  The 
church  has  built  four  meeting  houses.  The  first  was  built  at  Cranbury 
in  1747.  A  "deed"  of  the  lot  on  which  it  stood  was  dated  April  15th, 
1746.  This  building  was  used  to  November  1785,  when  the  church 
removed  to  Hightstown.  Whether  the  second  house  was  ready  for 
use  in  1785,  is  not  certain!}'  kno^Ti.  That  at  Hightstown  was  in  use 
to  1834,  when  under  Mr.  Seger,  it  was  too  small  and  the  brick  edifice 
now  in  use  was  built  and  was  dedicated  in  1834,  about  two  years 
before  Mr.  Seger  resigned.  This  building  is  now  in  use  for  the  Sunday 
school  and  for  social  meetings.  The  fourth  building  was  dedicated 
in  February  1858,  in  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  L.  Smith.  To  Mr.  Barker 
and  the  church  building  committee  the  inception  of  this  very  creditable 
house  is  a  fitting  memorial  of  the  taste  and  ideas  of  the  people,  of  a 
church  edifice.  A  parsonage  farm  had  been  bought  in  1817  and  held 
for  the  pastor  till  1857.  In  1871,  a  parsonage  was  built  in  the  town. 
As  many  as  twenty  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach,  one  of 
whom  became  pastor.  Alexander  McGowan  was  much  like  Mr. 
Wilson.  A  Presbyterian  minister,  he  challenged  Mr.  Wilson  to  a 
public  debate  on  baptism.  While  studying  the  New  Testament  in 
preparation  for  the  discussion  he  became  a  Baptist  and  Mr.  W^ilson 
baptized  him.  Of  these  twelve  were  useful  pastors  in  New  Jersey. 
Others  were  active  ministers  abroad. 

Hightstown  is  centrally  located  in  the  state.  The  Baptist  church 
is  influential  both  at  home  and  abroad.  It  may  be  permitted  to  add 
some  items  of  interest  about  Peddie  Institute.  Hon.  D.  M.  Wilson 
was  the  first  President  of  its  Board  and  to  him  is  due  the  choice  of 
the  architectural  design  of  the  magnificent  building  even  though  it 
cost  forty-thousand  dollars  more  than  a  "factory  structure"  that  had 
been  partly  built.  At  his  death,  Hon.  Thomas  B.  Peddie  was  elected 
President.  It  is  said  that  he  had  given  fifty  thousand  dollars  while 
living,  to  Peddie.  His  will  endowed  it  with  an  equal  sum  and  Mrs. 
Peddie's  will  added  one  hundred  thousand  to  the  endowment.     Other 


HIGHTSTOWN  AND  MANASQUAN  119 

large  givers  were,  the  Longstreets,  Jonathan  and  Mary  Jr.,  who  bnilt 
the  Longstreet  library  building  and  Miss  Mary  fully  equipjx'd  the 
physical  laboratory  at  a  cost  of  one  thousand  dollars,  and  annually 
sends  a  royal  donation  for  the  purchase  of  books  for  the  library.  The 
mother  was  a  Holmes,  a  near  lineal  descendant  of  Obadiah  Holmes, 
the  Massachusetts  Baptist  martyr.  Each  of  her  children  followed  her 
example.  A  daughter's  legacy,  Eleanor,  was  about  being  cast  into  the 
bottomless  pit  of  debt.  Her  piistor  prevailed,  however,  to  have  it 
used  as  the  seed  of  the  "Longstreet  Library,"  assuring  the  Board 
that  it  would  yield  ample  fruit;  and  it  has.  S.  Van  Wickle  of 
New  Brunswick,  Rev.  F.  R.  Morse  of  New  York  City,  Deats,  father 
and  son,  the  Wilsons,  D.  M.  and  William  V.,  Price  of  Burlington, 
New  Jersey  and  Rev.  Alfred  Free  of  Toms  River;  these  and  many 
more  have  had  a  large  part  in  the  equipment  of  Peddie  Institute. 
Through  its  friends  the  school  is  justly  entitled  to  a  first  place  among 
the  Academies  of  the  nation. 


CHAPTER   XII. 


MANASQUAN. 


A  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  was  formed  at  Manasquan  in 
1745.  Whether  they  had  left  seed  of  the  Baptist  faith  in  the  com- 
munity which  laid  dormant  for  half  a  century  after  their  emigration 
to  the  West  is  not  known,  but  Baptist  ideas  of  Bible  teaching,  like 
the  wheat  grains  in  the  wrappings  of  Egyptian  mummies,  retain  a 
life  germ  for  centuries.  They  have  but  one  meaning  in  all  generations, 
even  though  far  apart  in  both  tune  and  distance.  An  instance  hap- 
pened at  Long  Branch,  New  Jersey.  Abel  Morgan  of  Middletown 
Baptist  church  had  a  station  at  Long  Branch  in  1738  and  after,  and 
had  many  converts.  An  hundred  years  later,  the  writer  had  a  station 
there  and  was  greeted  with  welcome  by  descendants  of  the  early 
Baptists,  still  cherishing  the  ideas  of  their  Baptist  ancestry. 

Manasquan  Baptist  church  began  with  and  from  a  woman.  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Havens,  a  widow,  was  a  member  of  First  Hopewell  Baptist 
church  and  a  lone  Baptist  resident  of  the  town  in  1801.  Two  of  the 
children  were  religiously  impressed.  At  her  request,  one  of  them 
Samuel,  journeyed  a  long  distance  through  the  sand  and  the  Jersey 
"pines"  to  Hightstown  to  invite  Mr.  Wilson,  pastor  there,  to  come 
to  Manasquan  and  preach.  He  did  so  on  the  9th  of  December,  1801, 
and  preached  in  the  house  of  John  Havens,  another  son.  The  son, 
Samuel,  who  had  gone  to  Hightstown  was  the  first  one  baptized  in 
April,  1802.  From  this  time  Mr.  Wilson  visited  there  once  a  month 
until  there  were  thirty-seven  baptized  believers  there.  Soon  after 
Samuel's  baptism,  Mr.  Wilson  baptized  John  Havens  and  Anna,  his 
wife  and  the  wife  of  Samuel  Havens.  When  thirty-seven  had  been 
baptized,  they  decided  to  organize  a  Baptist  church  and  on  October 
20th,  1804,  did  so,  as  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Howell.  Upon  the 
division  of  the  township  the  name  was  changed  to  Manasquan.  Of 
the  constituents,  thirteen  were  named  Havens,  and  others  were  rel- 
atives, their  names  changed  in  marriage.  The  constituents  numbered 
twelve  men  an  twenty-five  women.  Mrs.  Havens  was  an  instance 
of  the  kind  of  Baptists,  who  made  us  denominationally  what  we  are. 
Some  of  a  modern  type  would  have  said,  "We  are  all  going  to  Heaven 
and  denominations  make  no  difference.  Why  send  off  fifty  miles  or 
more  for  a  Baptist  minister  when  there  are  good  ministers  and  churches 


MANASQUAN  121 

nearby?"  The  pastors  were:  Rev.  William  Bishop,  1807-12;  John 
Cooper,  preaching  once  a  month,  1812-1823,  eleven  years;  John 
Bloomer,  1823-29;  Mr.  Clark,  one  year;  D.  P.  Perdun,  ordained  August 
1834-40. 

Mr.  Perdun  was  an  illustration  of  how  really  grace  fits  a  plain, 
uncultured  man  of  very  limited  information  for  usefulbiess  and  in- 
fluence. He  was  of  large  and  massive  physique,  a  physical  stalwart.  To 
grammar  and  reading,  except  his  Bible,  he  was  a  stranger.  An  amusing 
instance  of  his  make  up  happened  at  a  woods'  meeting.  The  meeting 
had  not  resulted  as  anticipated.  At  a  conference  on  the  matter,  Mr. 
Perdun  exclaimed,  "I  am  going  to  visit  every  house  near  here."  Hear- 
ing that  two  elderly  ladies  lived  at  a  given  place,  he  began  there.  One 
of  them  opened  the  door  wide  enough  to  see  the  caller.  But  Mr. 
Perdun  pushed  in  and  on  inquiry  learned  that  she  was  not  a  Christian 
and  unmarried.  Whereupon  he  lifted  his  hands  and  exclaimed, "no 
Lord,  no  husband  and  no  God.  You  are  in  an  awful  condition!" 
Neither  of  these  ladies  was  converted  at  that  meeting,  nor  is  it  probable 
they  ever  forgot  Mr.  Perdun. 

After  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Perdun,  Mr.  Boozer  was  a  "supply." 
Rev.  C.  Cox,  Sr.,  was  pastor  from  June  1842-44.  A  special  work  of 
grace  was  enjoyed  under  the  labors  of  Mr.  Cox  at  Manasquan  and 
Kettle  Creek  churches  at  both  of  which  Mr.  Cox  preached.     Rev.  E. 

R.  Hera,  1846-48.     Also  Rev.  W.  F.  P.  did  pastoral  service 

after  Mr.  Hera.  In  the  spring  of  1851,  Mr.  W.  F.  Brown  became 
pastor  till  18.53.  Four  years  passed  in  which  the  vitality  of  the  church 
was  impaired  by  lack  of  pastoral  care.  The  frequent  changes  and 
pastorless  intervals  were  due  to  the  location  of  their  houses  of  wor- 
ship, one  being  an  accommodation  for  both  Manasquan  and  Burrsville, 
located  in  the  "Pines"  distant  from  anywhere,  which  was  occupied 
in  1843  and  later.  This  house  had  been  built  in  1808  and  served  neither 
place.  Had  the  house  been  located  in  Manasquan,  the  church  would 
have  grown  to  be  numerous  and  of  ample  means.  To  establish  outposts 
at  their  pleasure  was  unwise.  The  next  meeting  house  was  a  greater 
folly  and  without  other  excuse  than  covctousness,  the  probable  reason 
had  its  reward  in  the  almost  extinction  of  the  church.  Baptists  in 
numbers,  social  position  and  financial  resources  had  more  than  all 
other  denominations  combined  and  really  gave  enough  to  build  a 
"union"  house  to  have  built  one  for  themselves.  There  were  no  other 
churches  in  the  village  than  theirs.  When  the  writer  preached  in 
this  "union"  house  in  1843,  he  said  to  Baptists,  "You  have  made  a 
coffin  for  your  church  and  you  can  date  its  obituary  from  the  day  you 
committed  yourselves  to  this  movement,  providing  a  home  and  center 


122  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

for  other  denominations  and  affording  them  a  home  and  chance  to  be. 
it  is  good  to  be  generous,  but  not  at  the  cost  of  suicide."  Nor  were 
other  Christ ian^names^slow  in  improving  their  opportunity.  With 
lielp  from  abroad  they  organized  and  concentrated  in  the  town,  building 
attractive  cliurcli  edifices  where  the  people  were  and  grew  strong, 
while  Baptists  grew  weak;  leaving  Baptists  in  their  shabby  "union" 
house  on  the  hills  and  well  out  of  the  way.  This  saved  the  Baptists 
the  cost^of  sustaining  a  pastor,  giving  them  preaching  by  pastors 
of  other  denominations  and  it  was  sure  to  be  emasculated  of  Baptist 
facts  and  ideas.     They  were  thus  pastorless  for  many  years. 

In  1867-9  the  writer,  then  on  the  missionary  committee,  of  the 
Association  went  to  them,  pointed  out  the  coming  extinction  and 
prevailed  with  them  to  make  an  effort  for  life.  Deacon  Mark  Brown 
of  the  Baptist  church  bought  lots  in  Manasquan  on  which  the  church 
built  their  second  church  edifice  in  1871  or  2  and  it  was  dedicated  in 
1872.  The  plans  and  general  design  of  the  house  were  given  by  the 
chairman  of  the  missionary  committee  of  the  Association.  A  location 
in  the  village  put  the  church  on  a  parity  with  other  denominations 
and  the  decline  since  1808  was  stayed. 

Mr.  J.  D.  Merrill  was  called  to  be  pastor  in  December  1857  and 
was  ordained  on  January  19th,  1858.  During  his  pastorate  they  had 
as  large  a  measure  of  prosperity  as  the  conditions  allowed.  Its  iso- 
lation on  the  hills  and  the  attraction  of  more  fitting  and  suitable  places 
of  worship  in  the  village  hindered  the  prosperity  of  the  church.  Mr. 
Merrill  closed  his  labors  at  Manasquan  in  April  1864.  Rev.  E.  M. 
Lockwood  followed  on  May  1st,  1864  and  was  ordained  in  August 
1864.  He  was  pastor  of  both  Manasquan  and  Kettle  Creek  churches. 
He  died  on  August  13th,  1866.  Rev.  S.  L.  Cox  followed  within  a 
few  months  remaining  but  one  year,  because  of  the  uncongeniality 
of  the  climate.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  father.  Rev.  Charles  Cox, 
who  after  twenty-four  years  was  pastor  the  second  time.  Three 
years  Mr.  Cox,  Sr.,  remained,  closing  his  pastorate  in  1871.  Mr.  T.  S. 
Snow  was  the  next  pastor  and  was  ordained  in  September,  1871, 
remaining  until  1873.  Upon  Mr.  Snow's  resignation.  Rev.  E.  M. 
Barker  entered  on  his  charge  1873-76.  In  1876,  Rev.  D.  S.  Parmelee 
became  pastor  for  nine  years,  resigning  in  1885.  A  parsonage  was 
secured  while  Mr.  Parmelee  was  pastor. 

Rev.  Henry  Cross  settled  as  pastor  in  1886.  Pastor  Cross  enlarged 
the  church  work  by  making  a  station  at  Point  Pleasant,  about  six 
miles  south  of  Manasquan  river.  Mr.  Cress  closed  his  first  pastorate 
in  1892  and  in  the  same  year,  Rev.  F.  C.  Brown  became  pastor,  re- 
maining till  1896.     The  hearts  of  the  people  clung  to  an  old  pastor. 


OSBORNVILLE  123 

Mr.  Cross  and  he  wtia  recalled  in  1896,  and  was  ministering  in  1900. 
Since  iiis  return  the  house  of  worship  has  been  enlarged,  really  made 
new  at  the  cost  of  the  original  building.  An  inspiration  to  a  higher 
life  is  infused  into  the  church,  more  than  in  any  former  period  of  its 
history. 

Excepting  the  labors  of  Mr.  Wilson  of  Hightstown,  the  church 
has  had  twenty  pastors.  Five  or  six  of  these  have  been  ordained  here. 
Three  have  had  duplicate  settlements.  There  have  been  four  hundred 
and  thirty-one  baptisms,  except'mg  those  baptized  by  Mr.  Wilson. 
Of  the  two  meeting  houses  and  the  renovation  of  the  last,  mention  has 
been  made.  Two  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach,  one  a  pastor's 
son.  Another  was  the  ever  memorable  A.  O.  S.  Havens,  who  travelled 
and  preached  on  the  coast  from  Manasquan  to  Mannahawkin  and 
through  the  "Pines"  at  his  own  cost,  sowing  seeds  of  the  Baptist 
faith  and  impregnating  the  people  with  our  convictions  of  truth. 
So  much  so,  that  it  was  a  Baptistic  section.  Three  churches  have  gone 
out  from  Manasquan,  Osborneville,  1835,  founded  by  Mr.  A.  O.  S. 
Havens;  Orient,  1848;  Point  Pleasant,  1888. 

In  August  1835,  Kettle  Creek  (Osbornville)  was  constituted  with 
seven  members.  Five  were  named  Havens,  of  one  family  and  near 
relatives.  One,  A.  O.  S.  Havens  was  a  licentiate  of  Manasquan  church. 
These  lived  at  Kettle  Creek  and  some  of  them  were  constituents  of 
Manasquan  church.  Mr.  A.  O.  S.  Havens  was  ordained  on  November 
1835,  and  was  the  first  pastor  remaining,  until  1842,  also  he  supplied 
the  church  from  1845-47.  This  was  his  only  pastorate;  he  was  a  very 
busy  minister  of  the  Gospel.  Kettle  Creek  was  the  only  church  be- 
tween Manasquan  and  Manahawkin  and  east  of  Jacobstown.  Mr. 
Havens  was  the  only  Baptist  minister  living  and  preaching  in  this 
wide  spiritual  waste.  Fifty  years  since  it  was  common  rumor,  that 
several  Methodist  churches  were  composed  exclusively  of  baptized 
believers;  the  entire  section  being  permeated  with  Baptist  ideas 
through  Mr.  Havens,  who  is  not  known  to  have  asked  or  received 
any  renumeration  for  his  labors.  His  useful  and  busy  life  ended  on 
October  16th,  1854  at  the  age  of  fifty-three  years.  A  school  teacher 
and  licentiate,  L.  H.  Terrill  helped  him  in  his  work,  enabling  him  to 
go  abroad  and  minister  in  distant  places. 

In  October  1849,  Rev.  John  Todd  became  pastor  and  served 
the  church  two  years.  He  was  a  self-sacrificing,  good  man.  The 
Board  of  the  State  Convention,  welcomed  opportunities  to  engage 
him  for  missionary  work.  A  meeting  house  was  built  soon  after  the 
church  was  organized  and  is  now  in  use.  Built  in  the  "Pines"  its 
location  prevented  any  growth.    About  1869,  Rev.  Mr.  Cook  ministered 


124  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

to  the  church.  Rev.  C.  P.  Decamp  followed  as  pastor  of  Kettle  Creek 
and  Orient  church  from  1874.  Rev.  G.  Johnson  also  supplied  the 
church.  In  conjunction  with  Orient  church,  Rev.  D.  Young  was 
pastor.  After  many  years,  of  which  the  Association  minutes  said, 
"No  report,"  in  1893,  Rev.  E.  B.  Walts  settled.  New  Ufe  at  once 
began.  He  baptized  converts,  doubled  the  membership.  The  name 
was  changed  to  Osbornville  and  the  house  of  worship  was  repaired, 
Mr.  Walts  resigned  in  1895  and  Rev.  G.  W.  Leonard  became  pastor 
ministering  to  Osbornville  and  Orient  churches.  He  closed  his  labors 
on  the  field  in  1898. 

East  of  the  Raritan  and  North  of  Manahawkan  and  Hightstown 
there  were  only  three  Baptist  churches.  From  1835  to  1865,  thirty 
years,  eleven  Baptist  churches  were  formed,  in  all  fourteen  Baptist 
churches.  The  same  territory  after  the  organization  of  the  Trenton 
Association  in  1865  to  1900,  a  period  of  thirty-five  years,  includes 
thirty-eight  of  our  churches,  an  increase  of  twenty-five  in  thirty-five 
years. 

Appearances  indicate  that  Osbornville  church  has  trials  awaiting 
it  in  the  future.  Places  north  and  south  of  it  are  centers  of  resort 
for  simimer  population.  Were  the  meeting  house  in  the  village  the 
outlook  would  be  more  hopeful.  Family  churches  however,  seldom 
get  hold  of  a  community,  unless  it  is  a  family  community.  The  sons 
of  Mr.  Havens  are  influential  men,  but  they  do  not  live  in  Osbornville. 
His  daughters  also,  are  women  of  position  and  influence.  Neither 
are  they  associated  with  Osbornville  church. 

Orient  and  Osbornville  are  much  alike  in  their  location,  isolated 
and  away  from  the  thoroughfares  of  travel.  The  building  of  the 
Manasquan  first  house  of  worship  toward  Burrsville  helped  Baptist 
influence  there.  Some  of  the  children  of  Rev.  A.  O.  S.  Havens  lived 
at  Burrsville  and  that  helped  Baptist  interests  there.  In  1858,  Rev. 
W.  F.  Brown  did  much  mission  work,  making  Burrsville  his  head- 
quarters, with  the  outcome  of  the  organization  of  Burrsville  Baptist 
church,  with  a  constituency  of  fifteen  members.  Mr.  W.  F.  Brown 
was  pastor  and  supply  for  more  than  twelve  years.  Chosen  to  political 
office  at  various  times  he  was  not  dependent  on  the  church  for  support. 
A  meeting  house  was  built  in  Burrsville  about  1859-60.  Rev.  J.  E. 
Howd  was  pastor  in  1872.  Messrs.  DeCamp  and  Young  were  joint 
pastors  of  Busrrville  and  Osbornville.  In  1879,  the  old  pastor.  Rev. 
W.  F.  Brown  had  a  second  pastorate  which  lasted  to  1885.  Both  of 
his  pastoral  charges  included  more  than  sixteen  years.  Rev.  E. 
Thompson,  pastor  at  Lakewood,  supplied  the  church  for  a  year  and 
more.     The  Point  Pleasant  pastor  also  supplied  the  church.     Rev. 


POINT  PLEASANT  125 

G.  W.  Leonard  was  for  several  years  pastor  at  Burrsville  and  Osborn- 
ville,  which  arrangement  terminated  in  1898.  Rev.  J.  W.  Hartpcnse 
settled    in    1899. 

Churches  located  as  are  Burrsville  and  Osbornville  need  to  be 
tenderly  cared  for.  They  live  a  life  of  exhaustion,  sending  abroad 
their  most  efficient  young  people.  Of  necessity  they  endure  long 
periods  of  destitution  and  need  a  large  faith  and  unyielding  devotion 
to  maintain  their  visibility  and  prove  themselves  the  peers  of  the 
active  and  self  denying  servants  of  God.  Such  disciples  do  not  have 
the  inspiration  of  association  nor  are  cheered  by  the  consecration  of 
times  and  means  in  fields  "white  for  the  harvest."  They  endure 
hardships  under  the  most  discouraging  conditions,  make  up  the  de- 
ficiencies of  those  who  go  away  and  hold  up  the  standard  of  the  cross 
in  the  night  and  ofttimes  in  loneliness.     Happily  God  knows! 

Point  Pleasant  is  one  of  the  many  churches  on  the  sea  shore, 
which  owe  their  existence  to  the  missionary  committee  of  the  Trenton 
Association  and  to  Pastor  Cross  of  the  Manasquan  church.  Members 
of  Manasquan  and  Orient  churches  had  been  long  residents  there. 
There  were  not  halls  or  suitable  places  of  worship.  Occasionally 
devotional  meetings  were  held  at  the  homes  of  members  of  the  churches 
and  the  pastors  were  among  their  people.  Pastors  and  the  Baptist 
churches  were  of  "one  accord"  and  in  hearty  sympathy  -n-ith  the 
missionary  committee,  giving  special  attention  to  the  place  in  1882, 
learning  then  that  lots  were  in  waiting  to  be  given  for  a  Baptist  placQ4 
of  worship.  Delays  came,  by  the  calls  from  other  places.  But  in 
1886,  the  increase  of  residents  put  a  special  phase  on  the  question  of 
early  movement  at  Point  Pleasant.  Pastor  Cross  had  made  an  appoint- 
ment for  service  in  1887  and  Deacon  William  Curtis  of  Manasquan 
church  had  given  valuable  lots  for  the  church  edifice  and  the  missionary 
committee  pushed  the  collections  of  funds  from  the  churches  for  the 
house  of  worship  at  Point  Pleasant.  The  concord  of  the  nearby 
church  and  of  the  pastor  and  of  the  resident  Baptists  hastened  the 
completion  of  the  house  of  worship  which  was  dedicated  in  November 
1888,  and  the  organization  of  the  church  with  fourteen  members. 

LTntil  1892,  the  church  was  supplied  by  Mr.  Howland  Hanson, 
a  licentiate  of  Asbury  Park  church  while  a  student  in  college.  After 
Mr.  Hanson,  Rev.  W.  L.  Mayo  became  pastor  in  July  1892.  He 
stayed  only  two  years.  While  pastor,  the  church  bought  adjoining 
lots,  removed  the  meeting  house  and  made  additions  for  more  efficient 
work.  Rev.  G.  W.  Drew  entered  the  pastorate,  and  resigned  his 
charge  in  1895,  when  Rev.  Mr.  Mauser  settled  as  pastor  closing  his 
pastorate  in  1898.       A  parsonage  was  built  in  1896.     Rev.  J.  A.  Clyde 


126  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor  and  began  his  pastorate  in  1898  and  is 
now  ministering  to  the  church.  After  Mr.  Hanson,  four  pastors  have 
served  the  church.  Their  house  is  still  in  use.  There  is  an  ample 
field  and  good  hope  for  the  growth  of  a  strong  and  efficient  church. 

The  South  River  church  was  derived  from  Hightstown.  Its 
origin  is  not  given  in  the  church  minutes.  The  beginning  was  about 
that  of  Manasquan.  The  South  River  church  became  antinomian 
and  is  reduced  to  a  nominal  membership.  In  1871,  under  the  lead 
of  First  New  Bruns^\'ick  church,  Baptist  elements  local  and  from 
Herbertsville  united  in  constituting  The  Tabernacle  church  known  as 
Washington  and  South  River.  It  was  formed  of  thirteen  members 
on  November  12th,  1871.  Our  record  dates  from  the  New  Constitution, 
November  1871.  Rev.  M.  Johnston  was  the  first  pastor  who  closed 
his  work  in  1874.  Other  pastors  have  been  H.  D.  Dolittlo,  C.  H. 
Woolston,  F.  C.  Overbaugh,  W.  A.  Smith,  S.  D.  Samis,  E.  I.  Case. 
The  life  of  the  missionary  church  has  been  harrassed  by  the  primitive 
body  and  limited  to  less  growth  than  it  would  otherwise  have  had. 


#^ 


CHAPTER  XIIL 


TRENTON 


The  earliest  traces  of  Baptist  ideas  in  Trenton,  is  said  by  Morgan 
Edwards  to  have  been  introduced  there  by  "Rev.  Jonathan  Davis,  a 
Seventh  day  Baptist,  who  with  his  brother,  Elnathan  settled  in  Trenton, 
near  the  beginning  of  the  century, "(eighteenth)  adding  that  he  had 
seen  a  printed  letter  directed  to  Mr.  George  Whitfield  from  Jonathan 
Davis  dated  May  1st,  1740.  Mr.  Davison  was  a  native  of  Wales,  but 
came  to  Trenton  from  Long  Island.  He  died  in  Trenton  in  1750  in 
his  seventy-fifth  year.  Mr.  Davis  married  a  lady  in  Trenton  whose 
maiden  name  was  Bowen.  I  find  the  name  of  Bowen  among  the 
constituents  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Trenton.  Even  though 
many  years  had  gone  since  Mr.  Davis  had  died,  a  Bowen  of  the  First 
First    church    evidenced    that    the    seed    he    had    sown   bore   fruit. 

Rev.  Peter  Wilson,  pastor  at  Hightstown  preached  at  Trenton 
as  early  as  1787  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Hannah  Keen.  "On  March  4th, 
1788,  he  baptized  five  persons  in  the  Delaware  river,  supposed  to  be 
the  first  case  of  believers  baptism  in  Trenton."  This  is  not  certain, 
since  Rev.  Mr.  Davis  may  have  baptized  therein  in  his  long  residence 
in  the  toMm.  The  First  Baptist  church  in  Trenton  was  constituted 
November  9th,  1805  with  a  membership  of  forty-eight.  It  was  formed 
as  "The  Trenton  and  Lamberton  church."  Lamberton,  Mill  Hill 
and  Bloomsbury  were  sviburbs  of  Trenton  and  have  been  long  since 
absorbed  in  the  city.  Descendants  of  some  of  the  constituents.  Cole- 
mans,  Howells,  Parkers,  Deys,  and  others  are  now  identified  with  the 
Baptist  churches  in  Trenton  and  in  its  vicinity.  Mr.  Wilson  con- 
tinued to  preach  at  Trenton  once  in  four  weeks  until  1809.  He  also 
had  other  appointments  at  Manasquan,  Hamilton  Square,  the  Manor, 
Pa.,  Penns  Neck  and  Lawrencevile,  additional  to  his  pastoral  duties 
at  Hightstown.  Few  men  could  be  more  busy  and  few  accomplished 
more  in  the  vast  undertakings  of  this  wonderful  man.  Col.  Peter 
Hunt  gave  to  the  church  for  a  house  of  worship,  the  land  on  which 
their  meeting  house  and  cemetery  are  and  building  their  church  edifice 
on  it,  dedicated  it  on  November  26th,  1803,  two  years  before  the 
church  was  constituted. 

Growth  made  necessary  additional  labors  to  Mr.  Wilson  and  on 
July  9th,  1808,  Mr.  Boswell  was  engaged  as  a  "supply"  once  in  four 
weeks.     At  the  same  meeting  at  which  Mr.   Boswell  was  engaged, 


128  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Mr.  Coles,  a  licentiate  of  the  church  was  employed  as  a  "supply"  for 
another  Lord's  Day  of  the  month.  Three  Lord's  Days  of  the  month 
the  church  provided  for  itself  ministerial  service.  At  the  close 
of  Mr.  Wilson's  labors  in  July,  1809,  a  period  of  twenty-two  years,  Mr. 
Boswell  was  called  to  be  pastor  in  connection  with  second  Hopewell 
church  to  begin  the  next  September  and  a  few  weeks  later  was  ordained. 
His  salary  was  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  one  half  of  the  time. 
After  two  years,  Mr.  Boswell  was  called  for  three  Lord's  Days  in  each 
month.  Trouble  developed  in  1823,  fourteen  years  after  Mr.  Boswell's 
settlement,  1808;  he  had  imbibed  Swedenborgianism.  Hitherto, 
the  church  had  prospered.  The  pastor  was  an  able  preacher,  genial 
and  winning  in  social  life.  His  mistake  was,  instead  of  saying,  that 
his  \'iews  had  changed  and  quietly  resigning,  he  kept  his  place,  preached 
heresy,  stating  his  views  with  increasing  boldness,  until  unendurable 
by  the  evangelical  element  of  his  hearers  and  they  were  compelled  to  act. 
In  April,  1823,  a  church  meeting  decided  to  call  a  council  for 
advice.  Henry  Smalley  of  Cohansey,  John  Boggs  of  first  Hopewell, 
James  McLaughlin  of  second  Hopewell  and  Thomas  B.  Montanye  of 
Pennsylvania  were  summoned.  The  clerk,  was  instructed  to  invite 
Mr.  Boswell  to  meet  with  these  pastors,  but  he  declined  to  meet  them. 
The  council  reported  to  the  church:  "We  the  undersigned  having 
heard,  are  of  the  opinion  that  he  (Mr.  Boswell)  has  departed  from  the 
faith  of  the  particular  Baptist  churches,  and  demand  that  he  be  im- 
mediately notified  that  until  he  renounces  his  errors  he  cannot  have 
our  fellowship  as  a  regular  Gospel  minister."  Henry  Smalley,  John 
Boggs,  Thomas  B.  Montanye.  Mr.  McLaughlin  was  pastor  of  the 
church  of  which  Mr.  Boswell  had  been  pastor  and  was  known 
to  be  evangelical.  The  church  adopted  the  report  and  excluded 
Mr.  Boswell.  By  the  end  of  the  year  sixty-three  members  had 
been  excluded  for  their  sympathy  with  and  acceptance  of 
the  views  of  Mr.  Boswell.  The  course  pursued  by  the  church 
and  the  small  following  of  Mr.  Boswell  at  the  end  of  a  pastorate  of 
fifteen  years  instances  the  staunchness  of  these  Baptists  and  how 
independent  they  were  of  personal  ties  and  of  genial  associations  in 
their  belief  of  the  Divine  word.  Mr.  Boswell  and  his  friends  built 
a  meeting  house  near  the  First  Baptist  house  of  worship  and  the 
worshippers  there  were  commonly  called  the  second  Baptist  church. 
For  Mr.  Boswell  baptized  those  received  into  his  church  as  Baptists 
do  and  thus  his  church  was  known  b}'  the  sign  it  hung  out.  A  later 
pastor,  D.  H.  Miller,  for  special  reasons,  published  a  history  of  the  first 
Baptist  church  of  Trenton,  representing  Mr.  BosweU  as  badly  treated 
in  a  history  of  the  Central  church.    Mr.  Miller's  history  was  a  curious 


TRENTON  129 

mixture  of  truth  and  misconception.  Within  a  few  months  Rev.  S.  W. 
Lynd,  pastor  at  Bordento-\vn  was  called  to  a  joint  charge  of  that  church 
and  of  first  Trenton.  The  arrangement  lasted  for  a  few  weeks  and 
terminated  satisfactorily  to  both  churches.  Rev.  George  Patterson, 
M.  D.,  followed  for  two  years  till  March,  1828.  "Supplies"  ministered 
for  two  years  more. 

A  call  was  given  in  March  1830,  to  Morgan  J.  Rhees  to  a  joint 
pastorate  with  Bordentown  which  continued  till  1834,  when  Mr. 
Rhees  settled  at  Trenton  exclusively.  His  was  the  first  pastorate 
since  Mr.  Boswell  in  which  the  church  had  the  undivided  labors  of 
a  pastor.  Within  three  years  the  congregation  outgrew  the  capacity 
of  the  house  of  worship  and  it  was  enlarged  and  modernized.  Necessity 
justifies  curious  doings.  In  1838,  an  invalid  was  received  by  letter 
"and  the  hand  of  fellowship  was  given  to  her  Father  in  her  behalf." 
After  eight  years  of  most  acceptable  service,  Mr.  Rhees  resigned,  and 
a  call  was  sent  to  Rev.  Samuel  Aaron,  to  which  he  replied:  "That  his 
anti-slavery  views  would  occasion  dissatisfaction  to  some  worthy 
brethren.  I  doubt  very  much  my  fitness  to  be  a  pastor  till  my  mind 
or  the  minds  of  my  brethren  shall  have  undergone  a  change."  This 
was  like  Samuel  Aaron,  a  man  of  great  courage,  unconcerned,  whether 
his  views  on  slavery  and  temperance  pleased  the  people  or  not.  He 
spoke  intensely,  educating  men  and  women  for  the  days  of  1861-65. 
After  hearing  this  letter  of  Mr.  Aaron,  so  frank  and  sensible  and  just, 
Mr.  Rhees  was  immediately  and  unanimously  recalled  and  as  promptly 
accepted  the  proffered  pastorate.  Finally  he  resigned  in  1840,  closing 
pastoral  labors  of  ten  years. 

]Mr.  Rhees  did  an  especial  work.  The  defection  of  Mr.  Boswell 
had  both  impaired  the  strength  of  the  church  and  had  brought  con- 
fusion and  hindrance  to  the  Baptist  cause  and  to  Baptists  in  the  city. 
Especially  as  he  had  located  himself  as  a  Baptist  on  his  old  field,  Mr. 
Boswell  did  his  utmost  in  opposition  to  his  former  charge  with  whom 
he  had  the  largest  influence  to  win  them  to  his  false  views.  Mr.  Rhees 
was  such  a  preacher  and  pastor  that  the  church  had  constant  growth 
in  a  continuous  accession  of  spiritual,  social  and  material  strength. 
Mr.  Boswell  died  in  1833,  and  the  house  of  their  worship  was  sold  about 
1837,  to  evangelical  Christians  and  nothing  remains  of  the  ism  that 
built  it.  Pastor  Rhees  was  a  grand  man.  The  ten  years  of  his  life 
in  Trenton  were  also  ten  years  of  service  as  the  secretary  of  the  new 
and  unshapen  state  Convention  for  local  missions.  Its  first  secretary 
his  plans  of  administration  governed  its  operations  for  sixty  years. 
To  him,  that  body  owes  more  for  its  efficiency  than  to  any  other,  not 
excepting  Rev.  G.  S.  Webb  and  Judge  P.  P.  Runyan,  both  of  the 
9 


130  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

first  Baptist  church  of  New  Brunswick.  The  temperance  cause  had 
one  of  its  best  advocates  in  Mr.  Rhees.  Anything  for  the  better- 
ment of  humanity  had  him  for  a  champion. 

The  Trenton  Baptist  church  was  a  jealously  watching  church 
against  ministerial  assumptions  or  claims  of  pastors'  rights.  The 
moderatorship  was  denied  him  in  their  business  meetings.  Nor  was 
there  a  ready  assent  to  his  presence  at  business  meetings.  Once, 
present  at  a  business  meeting,  he  expressed  his  views  on  the  matter 
under  consideration.  At  once  one  of  these  good  men,  offended  and 
indignant  at  the  pjistor's  objections,  possibly  to  his  own  plans  and 
ideas,  moved  that  Mr.  Rhees  be  excluded  from  the  church.  The 
motion  was  hastily  carried.  Happily,  reflection  came  before  adjourn- 
ment; the  vote  was  reconsidered  and  the  original  motion  lost,  and 
notice  of  the  shameful  action  was  refused  a  place  in  the  minutes  of 
the  meeting.  Mr.  Rhees  was  a  man  who  did  his  own  thinking  along 
Bible  lines.  He  was  tall  enough  to  see  over  the  walls  of  liis  fold  and 
long  armed  enough  to  touch  far  off  fields. 

Mr.  L.  F.  Beecher,  having  been  chosen  was  ordained  for  the 
pastoral  office  in  October  1841 .  Resigning  the  next  Septemper,  his  short 
stay  was  a  continuous  blessing.  In  January,  1843,  Rev.  John  Young 
was  invited  to  "supply"  the  church  until  April.  But  in  February, 
after  a  statement  of  the  circumstances  of  his  situation,  and  an  inter- 
change of  \'iews  on  the  subject,  he  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  it  was 
immediately  accepted,  his  charge  to  begin  on  February  15th.  Mr. 
Young  presented  "a  letter  from  Deacons  of  a  Baptist  church  in  London 
and  divers  others  letters  in  testimony  of  his  standing  character  as  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  on  these  letters  was  received  into 
full  membership."  This  was  a  strange  and  unwise  proceeding  on  the 
part  of  the  Trenton  church.  A  body  most  insistent  on  following 
the  usages  of  Baptist  churches,  the  subsequent  events  showed  the 
mistake  and  folly  of  the  course  taken.  These  letters  may  have  been 
forgeries.  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  church  in  July  following,  Mr. 
Young  resigned,  to  take  effect  August  15th,  he  having  been  elected  to 
a  professorship  in  a  Campbellite  College  in  Virginia.  Mr.  Young  was 
a  cause  of  dispute  and  of  confusion  to  Baptist  interests  in  Trenton. 
Mr.  Young  preached  a  sermon  in  early  August  in  which  he  advocated 
the  union  of  all  denominations  and  more  or  less  exposed  his  Campbellite 
tendencies.  If  not  of  that  sect  when  he  came  to  America,  his  con- 
version to  their  views  was  a  short  process.  Seemingly  he  was  honest, 
which  explains  his  large  following.  As  many  as  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four  asked  for  letters  of  dismission  from  the  first  church  to 
organize  a  second  Baptist  church  in  upper  Trenton.     All  of  these 


TRENTON  131 

however,  were  not  personal  followers  of  Mr.  Young  nor  had  iinl)ibcd 
his    views. 

The  New  Jersey  Baptist  Convention  had  for  along  time  been 
trying  to  induce  the  first  church  to  colonize  a  Baptist  church  in  North 
Trenton  and  many  Baptists  in  the  city  sympathized  with  this  prop- 
osition and  these  united  in  this  movement  of  a  Baptist  church  in  North 
Trenton.  It  is  not  known  that  pledges  had  been  exchanged  between 
Mr.  Young  and  some  of  the  dismissed  members  to  form  a  second  Baptist 
church  that  might  eventually  be  a  Campbellite  church.  It  is  known 
that  having  gone  to  Virginia  and  declined  the  professorship  (!)  he 
returned  to  Trenton  and  became  pastor  of  second  Trenton  church. 
Whereupon,  that  body  broke  into  three  parts.  Thirty-seven  mem- 
bers returned  to  the  first  church.  Another  party  constituted  them- 
selves the  Trinity  church,  worshipping  in  Temperance  Hall.  The 
third  party  built  a  meeting  house  on  the  corner  of  Hanover  and  Mont- 
gomery streets,  (now  the  Central  church  edifice)  and  had  Mr.  Young 
as  pastor.  Mr.  Young  had  been  repudiated  by  the  first  church  and 
was  a  bar  to  a  recognition  by  the  first  church  of  that  which  Mr.  Young 
was  pastor.  In  the  history  of  the  "Central  church"  the  facts  per- 
taining to  the  extinction  of  Mr.  Young's  church  (known  as  the  second 
Baptist  church)  the  disposition  of  its  property  and  its  possession  by 
the  "Central  Church"  and  the  absorption  of  the  "Trinity"  church 
in  the  "Central"  is  fitly  given.  An  explanation  of  why  Mr.  Young 
was  recognized  as  a  Baptist  minister  and  his  church  as  a  Baptist  church 
has  not  been  written,  nor  can  be.  In  part  it  is  a  fact,  that  Baptists 
in  the  entire  state  were  concerned  to  have  a  Baptist  church  in  North 
Trenton.  The  first  church  located  in  South  Trenton  while  a  large 
and  influential  body,  did  not  influence  the  entire  city,  with  Baptist 
influences  and  its  scattered  membership  in  Upper  Trenton,  lacking 
the  cohesion  of  a  church  failed  to  represent  our  ideas  of  church  order 
and  the  conditions  of  memljcrship  in  a  church  as  was  felt  to  be  desirable. 
The  writer  recalls  how  seriously  this  subject  was  discussed  hi  the  Board 
meetings  and  the  intense  feeling  that  Baptists  did  not  have  the  repre- 
sentation in  the  State  capitol,  they  felt  themselves  entitled  to.  This, 
impelled  the  recognition  of  both  the  church  and  of  Mr.  Young. 

The  mother  church  after  having  suffered  the  calamities  endured 
in  connection  with  the  Young  affair,  chose  for  pastor,  a  man  known 
to  all  to  be  right  and  true  to  Baptist  interests.  Rev.  L.  G.  Beck. 
Him  they  called  and  he  entered  the  pastoral  office  in  March  1844. 
Mr.  Beck  was  a  wise  pilot  for  the  stormy  times  into  which  he  was 
summoned.  His  position  was  far  from  desirable.  Nevertheless, 
he  retained  it  for  nearly  six  years  and  richly  deserved  the  quiet  and 


132  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

peaceful  pastorate  on  which  he  entered.  One  of  the  most  amiable 
and  loveable  men  followed  Mr.  Beck  in  January  1850,  Rev.  H.  K. 
Green.  Mr.  Green  was  a  polished  preacher  and  a  man  of  the  highest 
scholarship  in  his  generation.  He  declined  re-election  at  the  end  of 
1852.  For  a  year  or  more,  that  choice  man,  Duncan  Dunbar  min- 
istered  until   in    1854. 

Within  a  short  time,  Rev.  Lewis  Smith  settled  in  1855.  Three 
years  later  Mr.  Smith  accepted  a  call  elsewhere.  Many  converts 
were  added  to  the  church  under  his  ministry  and  the  church  adopted 
a  resolution:  "That  signing  a  tavern  license  should  not  be  tolerated 
in  a  Christian  church.  The  use  and  sale  of  intoxicating  drinks  were 
also  included."  A  second  offense  subjected  the  offender  to  exclusion. 
Material  advances  were  also  made  in  the  erection  of  a  building  in  1857 
for  Sunday  school  and  social  meetings. 

In  October  1858,  Rev.  O.  T.  Walker  entered  the  pastorate.  The 
growth  of  the  membership,  the  increase  of  the  population  in  South 
Trenton,  the  popularity  of  the  pastor,  his  indefatigable  labors  brought 
a  crisis  to  the  church.  The  old  meeting  house,  which  had  been  en- 
larged and  modernized  several  times,  was  utterly  inadequate  to  ac- 
commodate the  multitude  that  thronged  it.  A  new  edifice  was  built 
larger  than  any  Protestant  house  of  worship  in  the  cit}^  modest, 
plain  and  attractive  on  account  of  its  fitness  for  its  uses.  Still  the 
spacious  room  was  too  small.  Hundreds  were  often  unable  to  get 
standing  room  in  it.  Pastor  Walker  closed  his  ministry  September 
1st,  1863.  Since  then,  large  congregations  have  met.  Succeeding 
pastors  have  baptized  hundreds  into  the  church  and  yet  the  same 
walls  include  the  average  congregation. 

Rev.  D.  H.  Miller  entered  the  pastorate  December  1st  1863. 
He  retained  the  congregations  Mr.  Walker  had  gathered  and  bap- 
tized more  than  anv  former  pastor.  Two  reasons  explain  this.  One, 
Mr.  Walker  had  won  many  into  the  House  of  God,  as  yet  unconverted 
and  Mr.  Miller  harvested  them.  Another,  the  Central  church  had 
gotten  Elder  Jacob  Knapp  to  hold  a  series  of  meetings  in  February 
1867  and  one  hundred  more  were  baptized  into  the  first  church  within 
a  year.     Mr.  Miller  closed  his  work  in  Trenton  in  October  1867. 

An  interim  of  six  months  occurred  until  Rev.  G.  W.  Lasher  settled 
as  pastor  in  April  1868.  Mr.  Lasher  soon  won  a  large  place  for  him- 
self in  the  confidence  of  the  church  and  congregation  and  in  that  of 
the  Baptists  in  the  city  and  in  the  esteem  of  the  entire  Christian  com- 
munity. The  internal  affairs  of  the  church  were  reorganized  and 
conformed  to  practical  efficiency.  In  1871,  he  wrote  a  sketch  of  the 
first  church  and  said:     "Lots  were  bought  on  Perry  street."     The 


TRENTON  133 

first  church  never  bought  or  owned  lots  on  Perry  street,  nor  opened 
a  mission  thereabout.  Instead  of  Perry  street,  Mr.  Miller  bought 
cheap  lots  on  a  side  and  out  of  the  way  street  in  the  midst  of  a  mission 
which  the  Central  church  had  opened  a  year  before,  when  the  central 
church  had  secured  lots  on  Perry  street.  Mr.  Lasher  adds:  "At 
the  request  of  the  Central  church,  they  were  sold  to  it  at  the  price  paid 
for  them  and  the  mission  transferred  to  them."  Mr.  Miller  happening 
in  the  study  of  the  Central  pastor  told  of  the  buying  of  the  lots  in  a 
mission  of  the  Central  church.  At  this  time  all  South  Trenton  with 
its  tens  of  thousands  of  population  was  open,  nothing  being  done 
for  Baptist  interests.  To  the  Central  people  it  was  strange  to  locate 
a  mission  in  their  field  where  they  had  sustained  a  mission  for  more 
than  a  year  and  the  nearby  destitution  neglected.  The  Central  church 
did  not  request  the  sale  of  the  lots  to  them.  Instead,  Mr.  Miller  asked 
of  the  Central  pastor  if  his  church  would  buy  their  lots,  the  price 
being  fifty  dollars  more  than  the  first  church  had  originally  paid  for 
it.  To  explain  the  added  cost  of  the  lots,  something  was  said  about 
"interest."  Mr.  D.  P.  Forst  was  President  of  the  Central  Board  of 
Trustees  and  when  the  purchase  of  the  lot  of  the  first  church  was  stated 
to  him,  he  said:  "Say  to  Mr.  Miller,  send  to  me  the  deed  of  the  lot  and 
I  will  return  to  him  my  check  for  its  price."  The  lot  on  Perry  street 
costing  nearly  double  that  of  the  first  church  had  a  chapel  for  the 
Central  Church,  built  on  it  within  six  months-  of  this  settlement. 
The  mission  was  not  transferred  to  the  Central  Church.  The  First 
Church  never  had  a  mission  in  that  locality.  Clinton  Avenue  Church 
is  the  development  of  the  Pearl  Street  Mission. 

Mr.  Lasher  saw  the  needs  of  his  own  field  and  was  the  first  pastor 
of  the  first  church  to  take  measures  to  meet  them.  Lots  were  bought 
about  1868  or  9  and  a  chapel  was  built  in  a  densely  populated  neigh- 
borhood and  was  dedicated  on  May  23rd,  1869.  The  mission  has  grown 
into  a  church,  Calvary  Baptist  church.  Another  mission  was  originated 
by  the  gift  of  lots  on  which  to  build  a  chapel  for  what  is  now  the  fifth 
Baptist  church  in  Trenton.  The  chapel  was  erected  in  the  pastorate 
of  Mr.  Lasher  and  a  church  constituted  in  1891.  While  thus  pushing 
matters  in  South  Trenton,  the  pastor  succeeding  in  reducing  the  debt 
which  encumbered  the  church,  showing  himself  not  only  an  efficient 
pastor,  but  awake  to  supply  his  field  with  Gospel  agencies.  More 
than  his  predecessors  he  has  effectively  furnished  South  Trenton  with 
churches  maintaining  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  After  its  accom- 
plishments this  pastorate  came  to  an  end  quite  too  soon.  In  it  also, 
was  the  earliest  attainment  of  unanimity  in  city  missions.  The 
prejudices  growing  out  of  the  "Young"  episode  gave  way  to  concord 


134  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST   HISTORY 

in  the  common  interests  of  our  churches.  Had  Mr.  Miller  been  dis- 
posed to  united  enterprises,  there  would  have  been,  both  a  German 
and  an  Afro  American  church  established  long  since.  But  the  old 
entanglements  were  very  unyielding.  The  Central  hurch  was  ready  to 
pledge  several  thousand  dollars  annually  for  years,  for  these  objects. 

Rev.  Elijah  Lucas  became  pastor  in  1873,  remaining  twenty  and 
more  years,  closing  his  labors  in  1894.  In  1886,  he  resigned.  But 
the  church  declined  to  accept  it,  by  so  nearly  a  unanimous  vote  that 
he  consented  to  remain.  Only  pastors  Wilson,  Boswell,  Rhees,  Beck 
had  stayed  more  than  three  or  four  years.  A  little  coterie  of  mem- 
bers craving  some  new  thing  buzzed  about  the  pastor  and  made  him 
uneasy.  These  practiced  on  Mr.  Lucas,  found  out  that  if  either  must 
go  they  could  be  spared.  Withal  he  was  an  able  preacher,  original, 
pithy  and  clear.  His  activities  kept  him  in  touch  with  his  hearers, 
the  lowly  as  much  as  the  officials.  He  was  not  perfect.  Prov.  22:3 
was  his  portrait.  The  politicians  on  sale,  rum  sellers  and  saloon 
keepers  cursed  him.  As  chaplain  in  the  legislature,  his  prayers  were  a 
terror  to  some  of  them,  showing  that  he  knew  what  they  knew  could 
unmask  them.  No  pastor  in  Trenton  had  more  bitter  enemies.  They 
assailed  him  on  a  clergyman's  most  vulnerable  side,  his  moral  char- 
acter. They  failed  but  so  impaired  the  confidence  in  him  as  to  drive 
him  away.  Had  Mr.  Lucas  intrenched  himself  in  the  sympathies  of 
his  ministerial  brethren  of  the  Christian  denomintitions  in  Trenton 
and  been  a  co-worker  with  those  of  his  own  denomination  in  their 
common  fields,  he  would  have  had  a  religious  constituency  to  keep 
him  in  Trenton,  "a  terror  to  evil  doers." 

Rev.  M.  P.  Fikes  began  his  pastoral  work  in  1894.  The  interior 
of  the  church  edifice  was  remodeled  and  the  building  for  the  Sunday 
schools  and  social  meetings  was  connected  with  the  main  building. 
Mr.  Fikes  resigned  in  April,  1900. 

The  first  church,  Trenton,  is  located  "do^\Tl  to^\ii,"  amid  the 
workmen  of  the  factories  of  South  Trenton.  Under  Mr.  Walker,  a 
proposition  to  remove  to  "Mill  HiU"  was  seriously  agitated,  but  the 
condition  of  the  gift  of  the  ground,  where  the  house  stood  and  the 
cemetery  about  it,  its  reversion  to  the  heirs  of  Col.  Hunt,  if  diverted 
from  the  uses  for  which  it  was  given  possibly  influenced  the  choice  of 
the  old  location. 

Of  their  house  of  worship,  it  is  the  second  they  have  had  up  to 
1900.  even  though  the  old  house  had  been  enlarged  and  often  repaired. 
The  church  has  had  fifteen  pastors.  Mr.  Wilson  antedated  the  consti- 
tution of  the  church.  In  all  he  preached  in  Trenton  twenty-  one  years, 
Mr.  Boswell  fourteen  years;  Mr.  Rhees,  ten  years;  Mr.  Lucas  more  than 


TRENTON  135 

twenty  years;  seven  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  Twenty-one 
hundred  have  been  baptized  into  it.  Of  these,  nearly  seven  hundred 
and  fifty  were  baptized  by  Mr.  Lucas.  The  annual  average  of  baptisms 
since  1805  has  been  twenty-two.  In  1875,  Rev.  Daniel  Freas  removed 
to  Trenton.  He  was  born  in  Salem,  New  Jersey,  and  had  a  considerable 
competence  from  his  father.  Mention  is  made  of  him  in  the  history 
of  Woodbury  church,  where  he  invested  so  much  as  was  needful  to 
adapt  the  house  for  worship.  The  writer  recalls  a  meeting  of  the 
Board  of  the  State  Convention,  when  Mr.  Freas  asked  its  indorsement  of 
his  visiting  Baptist  churches  in  New  Jersey  to  collect  funds  to  repay 
him.  The  Board  cheerfully  gave  its  endorsement.  The  daily  papers 
of  Trenton  said  of  his  death:  "The  day  of  the  burial  of  Mr.  Freas 
was  in  Trenton  a  day  of  universal  grief."  In  a  letter  to  the  writer, 
this  extract  appears.  "Mr.  Freas  was  altogether  independent.  He 
received  no  salary.  Certain  persons  of  all  religious  and  of  irreligious 
faiths  cared  for  him.  All  doors  were  open  to  him  in  Trenton.  He 
spent   twenty   years   in   Trenton   as   a   volunteer   missionary." 

Those  clippings  are  from  the  city  newspapers: 

"City  Missionary  Daniel  J.  Freas,  who  was  killed  yesterday  by  a 
trolley  car,  will  be  very  much  missed  in  Trenton.  He  was  a  kindly 
and  benevolent  man,  a  bom  missionary,  always  ready  to  assist  the 
unfortunate  and  to  excuse  the  wayward  and  the  erring.  He  gathered 
from  the  prosperous  to  distribute  to  the  poor  and  wretched,  and  if 
by  chance  an  undeserving  one  was  the  sharer  of  his  bounty,  he  always 
had  a  mild  and  ready  excuse.  No  rain  was  too  heavy  and  no  blizzard 
too  severe  to  keep  him  from  going  his  rounds  to  hunt  up  the  sick  and 
the  suffering.  He  would  say  to  people  of  wealth:  "Do  you  wish  to 
share  with  me  in  the  cares  and  happiness  of  the  coming  year?  If  you 
do,  give  me  as  the  Lord  has  blessed  you.  I  will  use  your  money  the 
best  I  can,  and  you  shall  share  in  my  prayers."  There  were  people 
who  would  contribute  to  Mr.  Freas  and  to  no  one  else." 

To  one  unfamiliar  with  Baptist  history  in  Trenton  the  late  date 
of  the  origin  of  the  Central  Trenton  church  will  be  strange.  The 
Central  is  the  third  Baptist  founded  in  LTpper  Trenton.  In  1842, 
the  first  church  called  Rev.  John  Young,  lately  come  from  England, 
to  be  their  pastor.  Six  months  afterwards  he  resigned,  having  ac- 
cepted a  professorship  in  the  Campbellite  College  at  Bethany,  West  Va. 
Mr.  Young  claimed  to  be  a  Baptist  when  called  to  the  first  Church. 
Mr.  Young  in  1843  preached  a  sermon  in  which  he  insisted  on  the 
union  of  all  Christian  churches.  A  public  meeting  was  called  in  the 
City  Hall;  after  his  sermon,  to  remonstrate  against  the  action  of  the 
First  church,  rejecting  Mr.  Young.     William  Boswell,  an  old  pastor 


136  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  the  First  church,  but  excluded  from  it  was  chairman  and  F.  S.  Mill 
secretary;  one  a  Swedenborgian  and  the  other  a  Methodist. 

At  his  resignation  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  members  of  that 
church  received  letters  to  organize  a  second  Baptist  church  in  Upper 
Trenton  and  that  body  was  recognized  as  a  Baptist  church  and  it 
gave  Mr.  Young  a  call  to  be  pastor,  whereupon  the  second  church 
broke  into  three  parts,  one  of  which  returned  to  the  first  church.  A 
second  organized;the  Trinity  Baptist  church  and  worshipped  in  "Tem- 
perance Hall."  The  third  party  built  a  meeting  house  on  the  site  of 
the  present  Central  church,  of  which  part  Mr.  Young  was  pastor. 

Whether  an  arrangement  had  been  made  by  some  dismissed  from 
the  first  church  to  call  him  to  be  pastor  of  the  second  church  is  unknown 
At  a  council  called  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Young,  on  his  statement  that  he 
was  a  Baptist,  he  was  recognized  as  such,  pastor  of  the  second  Baptist 
church.  It  was  a  universal  desire  of  the  denominatino  in  New  Jersey 
to  have  a  Baptist  church  in  Upper  Trenton  and  this  explains  in  part 
the  readiness  of  good  and  wise  men  to  accept  Mr.  Young  as  a  Baptist. 
Dates  of  the  various  movements  in  these  confusions  are  lost,  the  sequence 
of  them,  however,  is  clear.  The  denomination  did  not  accept  Mr. 
Young  as  a  Baptist,  in  fact  he  was  believed  to  be  a  Campbellite  in 
disguise.  He  was  pastor  of  the  second  Baptist  church  in  1844.  When 
he  came  back  to  Trenton,  how  long  he  stayed  and  when  he  left,  or  what 
became  of  him  and  of  his  denominational  relations  is  not  known. 

The  Central  Baptist  church  owes  its  existence  to  the  New  Jerse}' 
Baptist  State  convention.  The  property  of  the  second  church  was  to 
be  sold  for  debt  and  the  Board  of  the  Convention  appointed  Judge 
P.  P.  Runyan  of  New  Brunswick,  D.  M.  Wilson  and  J.  M.  Davies  of 
Newark  to  buy  and  hold  it  for  Baptist  uses.  They  paid  off  a  floating 
debt  of  thousands  of  dollars  and  made  needed  repairs  until  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Central  church. 

In  October  1853,  the  Board  appointed  Rev.  J.  T.  Wilcox  to  be  a 
missionary  in  North  Tretnon.  He  come  as  a  spiritual  chemLst  and 
mingled  the  Heavenly  alkali  of  love,  patience  and  faith  with  the  dis- 
cordant elements  unite  them  in  a  Baptist  church.  To  his  wisdom  and 
prudence  is  largely  due  the  success  which  crowned  his  work.  Helpers 
were  few  and  comforters  like  to  Job's  were  many.  On  the  30th  of  April 
1854,  twenty-nine  Baptists  constituted  the  Central  Baptist  church 
of  Trenton.  In  May,  they  were  recognized  as  such.  Fifteen  of  these 
were  from  the  Trinity  Baptist  church  which  had  disbanded  in  antici- 
pation of  the  forming  of  the  Central  church.  Two  were  from  the  first 
church  and  twelve  Baptist  residents  in  Upper  Trenton.  Mr.  Wilcox 
found   chaos.     He   left   a   happy    church   of   ninety-three   membera 


TRENTON  137 

Wearied  with  anxious  care  and  exhaustion  of  more  than  four  years 
of  toil,  his  health  failed  and  he  resigned  ui  the  midst  of  a  revival, 
closing  his  pastorate  March  21st,  1858. 

Rev.  Lyman  Wright  the  choice  of  both  pastor  and  people,  had 
already  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor  and  began  his  charge  in  the  next 
May.  Instead  of  coming  with  pruning  knife  and  plow,  he  came  sickle 
in  hand  to  a  ripening  harvest.  Inquirers  and  converts  thronged  the 
gates  of  Zion.  Six  converts  he  "buried  in  baptism"  on  the  first  Sunday 
of  his  pastoral  charge.  He  was  pastor  eighteen  months  and  the 
house  of  worship  was  made  attractive.  Previously  two  Baptists  had 
moved  to  Trenton,  living  nearer  the  first  church  than  to  the  Central, 
D.  P.  Forst  and  wife,  and  J.  E.  Darrah  and  wife.  In  reply  to  efforts 
to  unite  at  the  first  church,  they  said:  "Your  church  is  already 
crowded  and  we  are  not  needed.  But  the  Central  is  small  and  weak 
and  needs  us  financially,  socially  and  otherwise  and  so  they  united 
where  they  could  be  of  the  most  use."  Prospered  in  business,  they 
accumulated  wealth  and  when  later,  thousands  of  dollars  were  needed 
for  enlargement  and  mission  work,  it  was  freely  given.  On  the  next 
Lord's  Day  to  that  in  which  Mr.  Wright  retired.  Rev.  G.  R.  Darrow 
settled  November  1st,  1859.  In  about  two  years,  Mr.  Darrow  accepted 
a  chaplaincy  in  the  army  of  the  Civil  War.  Mr.  Darrow  left  the  mark  of 
a  man  of  God  in  whom  were  combined  the  cultured  gentleman  and  the 
Christian  patriot  minister. 

Rev.  T.  R.  Howlet  began  his  pastorate  August  1st,  1861.  The 
distraction  caused  by  the  Civil  War,  the  large  drafts  upon  the  men  and 
on  the  wealth  of  the  nation,  engrossed  the  energies  of  the  people  and 
the  churches  endured  exhaustion  rather  than  increase  and  in  December, 
1863,  there  was  another  vacancy  in  the  pastorate.  The  church  was 
divided  and  serious  alienations  prevailed  at  this  time.  An  interim 
between  pastoral  oversight  was  improved  by  enlarging  the  meeting 
house  and  an  entire  reconstruction,  making  it  a  new  building.  The 
cost  was  about  eight  thousand  dollars.  The  entire  outlay  was  can- 
celled when  the  new  house  of  worship  was   dedicated   in  March  1864. 

On  December  1st,  1863,  Rev.  T.  S.  Griffiths  became  pastor  and 
closed  his  charge  April  1st,  1870.,  till  now,  the  longest  pastorate  the 
church  has  had.  The  long  vacation  in  the  pastoral  office,  the  re- 
building of  the  meeting  house  and  the  suspension  of  social  meetings  and 
the  Lord's  Day  service  had  its  usual  effect.  Congregations  were 
scattered  and  the  membership  reduced.  The  alienations  of  the  former 
days  had  also  grown,  but  the  wisdom  and  piety  of  the  membership 
averted  disaster.  Former  distractions  paused  by  the  "Young"  episode 
hindered    concert   between   the   churches.     Both    churches   however, 


138  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

were  on  the  outlook  for  expansion  and  l^y  mission  Sunday  schools 
were  entering  the  fields  of  usefulness. 

The  Central  church  had  three  mission  Sunday  schools.  Tha^ 
on  Perry  street  had  special  promise  of  early  return.  Already,  converts 
were  gathered  and  added  by  baptism  into  the  church.  At  a  call  by 
Mr.  Miller  of  the  first  church  on  the  pastor  of  the  Central  church,  he 
revealed  that  his  church  had  bought  lots  on  a  by  street,  far  away  from 
the  residences  of  any  of  their  members.  This  was  a  surprise  since  the 
Central  church  had  been  sustaining  a  mission  in  that  part  of  the  city 
since  18G5.  Years  elapsed  but  the  first  church  made  no  move.  Deacon 
Forst  of  the  Central  church  often  said  to  his  pastor,  "I  will  build  a 
chapel."  We  had  engaged  lots  on  a  prominent  street  at  a  larger  cost 
than  the  first  church,  but  on  account  of  the  old  alienation  between  the 
churches  the  whole  movement  was  suspended.  In  time,  Mr.  Miller 
came  to  see  the  pastor  of  the  Central  church  and  asked  if  he  woud  buy 
their  lots.  The  pastor  said  "No,  not  on  a  by  street."  Eventually 
we  bought  their  lots  at  a  price  of  fifty  dollars  more  than  they  had  paid 
for  them  and  then  selling  them.  The  Central  church  built  a  chapel  on 
their  own  choice  lots.  These  things  delayed  the  building  of  the  chapel, 
till  1867.  The  property  was  given  to  the  Clinton  Avenue  church  and 
they  ocupied  the  place  till  they  changed  their  location  to  Clinton 
Avenue.  That  eminent  evangelist,  "Elder  Jacob  Knapp"  came  by 
invitation  of  the  Central  church  and  begun  special  meetings  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1867,  continuing  them  six  weeks.  As  a  result,  all  the  city 
churches  enjoyed  a  spiritual  refreshing.  One  hundred  and  thirty 
six  were  baptized  in  the  Central  church;  more  than  one  hundred  into 
the  first  Baptist  church  and  it  is  believed  that  as  many  as  five  hun- 
dred were  added  to  the  several  churches  that  year. 

Another  mission  was  begun  in  East  Trenton  by  the  Central  church 
in  1868.  The  meetings  were  held  in  a  small  room  over  the  oven  in 
a  pottery  and  the  pastor's  feet  were  unduly  heated  by  the  hot  bricks 
while  preaching.  Under  the  next  pastor  of  the  Central  church  a  chapel 
building  was  erected  for  the  use  of  this  mission  which  is  now  "The 
Olivet  Church."  The  disasters  which  befell  the  Central  church  from 
1870  to  78  seriously  affected  this  mission,  but  Mr.  William  Ellis  kept 
it  alive  and  Deacon  D.  P.  Forst  advanced  the  funds  to  build  the  chapel 
which  his  untimely  death  made  it  necessary  to  repay.  When  Mr. 
Howlett,  pastor  of  the  Central  church  advised  the  church  to  give  up 
this  mission,  the  Clinton  Avenue  church  cared  for  it  and  later  the 
Trenton  City  Mission  Society.  A  parsonage  was  bought  adjoining  the 
church,  by  Deacon  D.  P.  Forst  in  1865.  It  was  lost  when  given  to  Mr. 
Howlett  in  settlemant  for  arrearages  of  salary  due  him  about  1875-6. 


TRENTON  139 

Upon  the  removal  of  Pastor  Griffiths  ui  April  1870,  Rev.  C.  Keyser 
settled  as  pastor  the  next  October.  After  the  meetings  of  Mr.  Knapp 
in  a  sketch  of  the  Central  church,  it  was  stated  "that  only  thirty-eight 
remained  of  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  baptized  and  of  them  fifty- 
two  had  been  excluded,  or  over  one-third,  and  at  least  twenty  have 
ceased  to  show  any  interest  in  the  church."  Even  though  the  state- 
ment be  true,  it  is  not  just,  except  all  the  facts  are  given.  The  pastor 
who  succeeded  to  the  care  of  a  church  of  more  than  four  hundred 
members,  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  whom  were  actively  engaged, 
each  week  as  teachers  in  five  Sunday  schools  and  which  sustained 
twenty-one  prayer  meetings  each  week,  and  two  additional  preaching 
services  alternately,  both  now  efficient  churches;  this  pastor  a  good 
man  and  an  able  preacher,  announced  to  these  disciples  from  the 
pulpit:  "that  the  main  business  of  a  church  was  to  take  care  of 
itself,"  alienated  from  himself  the  spiritual  element  and  chilled  the 
activities  of  the  church.  Very  soon  the  thirteen  mission  districts  were 
suspended  and  the  twenty-one  prayer  meetings  dwindled  to  one  at  which 
the  attendance  was  reduced  to  about  twenty  per  cent  of  the  two  or 
three  hundred  that  had  formerly  met.  More,  a  colony  of  most  efficient 
members  went  out  to  form  the  Clinton  Avenue  church,  because  they 
were  shut  up  at  home,  and  with  the  purpose  to  renew  the  old  time 
activity.  Not  only  this,  but  diversion  and  dissention  brought 
disatisf action  and  a  large  majority  of  the  young  members  of  the  church 
were  disgusted  with  the  type  of  religion  they  saw  in  the  church  busi- 
ness meetings  and  wandered  off,  explaining  why  so  many  of  the  bap- 
tized were  lost  from  the  membership.  It  was  wholly  due  to  the  change 
from  life  to  decay. 

The  mission  work  of  the  church  promised  abundant  fruit.  In 
his  introductory  sermon  in  December,  1863,  Pastor  Griffiths 
had  said:  "I  do  not  come  here  to  build  up  this  church 
out  of  other  congregations,  but  to  gather  from  the  'highways  and 
hedges,'  the  non-church-going  people."  To  this  the  membership 
responded  and  when  the  plans  were  changed  for  "sitting  still,"  it  is 
not  surprising  that  there  was  a  balk  in  all  mission  work.  If 
any  credit  is  given  for  the  rapid  growth  of  the  church  it 
is  to  be  recognized  as  having  passed  from  a  "side  track"  to  the 
"main  line"  to  an  active  place  in  Christian  activities  because  of  the 
piety  and  devotion  of  its  membership,  each  aiming  to  be  "in  his  own 
place  round  about  the  camp  and  answering  to  the  call  of  the  Divine 
Master,  "Here  Lord,  am  I,  send  me."  The  necessity  of  building  a 
larger  house  of  worship  and  the  prospective  increase  of  labors  im- 


140  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

pelled  the  pastor  to  believe  that  another  unwearied  with  care  could 
better  develope  new  lines  of  enlargement. 

A  large  German  population  had  come  into  the  city  and  demanded 
attention  to  reach  it  with  Baptist  views  of  truth.  Members  of  the 
Central  church  had  pledged  twelve  hundred  dollars  annually  for  the 
coming  five  years  for  mission  work  among  them.  But  at  a  meeting  on 
this  behalf,  the  pastor,  Mr.  Miller,  of  the  first  church,  was  not  ready 
for  the  movement,  although  his  members  present  at  the  meeting  were 
and  the  enterprise  came  to  an  untimely  end.  The  Afro  American 
people  were  also  increasing  and  these  needed  provision  for  their  care. 
Members  of  the  Central  church  were  sensitive  to  these  conditions  and 
with  all,  had  the  financial  resources  to  meet  them.  In  anticipation 
of  these  added  calls,  the  pastor  decided  to  retire,  in  hope  of  a  more 
efficient  successor  and  resigned  to  take  effect  in  April  1870.  This 
was  a  mistake  m  him,  inasmuch  as  a  stranger  could  not  know  the 
needs  of  the  field.  Had  he  remained  these  objects  would  have  been 
effected. 

On  the  next  October,  Rev.  C.  Keyser  entered  the  pastorate. 
Mr.  Keyser  accomplished  two  important  objects  ;  the  church  edifice 
was  vastly  improved  and  a  chapel  was  built  for  the  Oilvet  mission, 
through  Deacon  D.  P.  Forst  advancing  its  cost.  But  unhappily,  the 
improvements  on  the  church  edifice  remained  a  debt,  which  in  the 
reduced  financial  ability  of  the  church,  on  account  of  alienations  and 
removals  imperilled  the  entire  property.  Pastor  Keyser  was  valued 
by  his  people,  but  misapprehended  them  and  lost  his  opportunity  to 
do  them  the  good  in  his  power,  by  a  staid  conventionalism  and  lack  of 
tact.     He  closed  his  pastorate  in  March  loth,  1875. 

On  the  next  October,  T.  R.  Howlett  was  called  to  a  second  pas- 
torate by  a  majority  vote  against  the  spiritual,  financial  and  social 
element  of  the  church.  An  anticipated  result  happened.  There 
was  a  virtual  break  up.  His  first  pastorate  had  not  been  happy 
Old  alienations  revived,  members  who  had  sustained  the  church  took 
letters,  or  withdrew  and  suffered  expulsion.  He  remained  till  October 
1878,  three  years.  Arrearages  on  his  salary  were  paid  by  sale  of  the 
parsonage.  After  his  resignation  while  yet  pastorless,  the  Holy 
Spirit  visited  the  church,  as  of  old. 

Rev.  L.  B.  Hartman  was  sent  for.  Being  proved,  he  became 
pastor  near  the  end  of  February  1879.  Mr.  Hartman  was  evidently 
the  man  divinely  chosen  to  recover  the  church  from  impending  wreck. 
Congregations  grew  and  the  pastor  happily  gathered  again  an  efficient 
church.  Lacking  the  financial  and  social  element  included  in  its 
membership  from  1866  to  1870,  but  yet  an  efficient  body.     Pastor 


TREXTON  141 

Hartman  iserved  the  church  twelve  years  closing  his  labors  in  1891. 
His  charge  may  be  judged  by  its  fruits,  revivals  were  frequent;  some 
who  had  left  the  church  in  its  days  of  trouble  returned;  debts  were 
paid;  empty  pews  were  filled;  the  pastor's  salary  was  increased  and 
the  status  of  the  church  in  the  community  was  restored. 

Rev.  J.  T.  Craig  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  September, 
1891.  In  1895,  illness  compelled  his  resignation.  The  church  was 
very  kind  to  him  both  in  his  long  illness  and  in  giving  to  him  a  pension 
for  many  months  after  his  resignation.  Tokens  of  good  were  enjoyed 
under  Mr.  Craig.  The  unity  of  the  church  was  preserved,  debts  were 
paid,  congregations  were  retained  and  converts  were  baptized. 

Follovring  Mr.  Craig,  Rev.  A.  W.  Wishart  entered  the  pastorate 
in  July  1895,  and  is  now  (1900)  pastor.  Mr.  Wishart  makes  a  specialty 
of  social  Christianity — Christianity  in  the  home,  business  and  in  the 
municipality.  There  has  been  more  or  less  revival  interest  under 
his  ministry.  Men,  especially,  are  attracted  in  the  evenings.  Mr. 
Wishart  has  made  himself  a  power  in  Trenton,  both  with  the  officials 
of  the  city  and  in  the  community.  The  church  is  heartily  united  in 
him  and  is  increasing  its  hold  on  a  large  class  of  non-church-going  men. 
There  have  been  many  good  men  members  of  the  church.  Deacon 
D.  P.  Forst  and  his  brother-in-law,  J.  E.  Darrah,  Deacons  Cheeseman, 
McKee  and  Thomas  C.  Hill.  Clinton  Avenue  church  is  indebted 
especially  to  T.  C.  Hill.  Fuller  allusion  will  be  made  to  him  in  the 
history  of  Clinton  Avenue  church. 

The  origin  of  Clinton  Avenue  Church  is  stated  in  the  history  of 
Central  Trenton  Church.  A  mission  was  begun  on  Perry  street  in  1865, 
by  the  Central  Church.  Deacon  T.  C.  Hill  had  it  in  special  charge. 
It  developed  into  the  Clinton  Avenue  Baptist  Church  in  1873,  having 
thirty-fi^'e  members,  nearly  all  of  them  dismissed  from  the  Central 
church.  At  its  beginning,  the  meetings  were  held  in  private  houses 
and  were  accompanied  with  unusual  spiritual  interest.  Numbers 
were  converted  and  baptized  into  the  Central  church.  Among  the 
converts  were  saloon  keepers,  whose  places  were  immediately  clcsed. 
When  in  1867,  the  chapel  was  built  on  Perry  street,  a  Sunday  school 
was  possible  and  regular  afternoon  services  were  begim  by  pastor 
Griffiths  of  the  Central  Church.  The  Sunday  school  and  week  evening 
meetings  were  made  up  of  the  most  crude  and  untutored  elements. 
Then  various  factories  and  potteries  were  located  in  that  section  and 
many  of  its  residents  were  of  foreign  birth.  The  boys  who  thronged 
the  meetings  evidently  enjoyed  this  land  of  liberty  and  they  had  "great 
fun."  Coatless  and  shoeless,  with  rents  in  their  nether  clothing, 
during  prayer  meeting  pla3'ing  leap  frog  in  the  aisle,  turning  somer- 


142  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

saults  over  the  benches,  whistling,  crowing,  mewing,  as  the  temper 
took  them.  Often  the  pastor  could  not  hear  his  own  voice  in  prayer. 
Said  a  member  of  the  church  to  him  at  the  close  of  such  a  meeting, 
"This  is  dreadful.  You  must  get  a  policeman  to  keep  order."  To 
her,  he  replied:  "This  chapel  was  not  built  for  such  as  you,  but  for 
these  boys  and  of  those  of  their  kind,  wait  and  see."  Within  a  year 
there  were  no  more  orderly  meeting  and  Sunday  school.  Blessed 
reward  they  had  who  endured.  It  was  one  of  those  cases  in  which 
Christianity  proved  its  mastery  of  ignorance  and  of  the  rudest  home 
life. 

In  the  Central  Church,  the  pressure  of  restrained  working  forces 
for  an  outlet,  excited  a  purpose  for  a  change.  In  1871,  a  city  Baptist 
Mission  Society  was  formed  which  employed  Rev.  James  Thorn  to  act 
as  their  missionary.  The  Sundaj'  services  at  the  chapel  on  Perry 
street  were  renewed.  The  attendance  and  interest  increased;  some 
were  converted  and  baptized,  and  when,  in  the  spring  of  1873,  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  by  the  Central  Church  to  examine  the  field,  they 
reported  favorably  concerning  the  organization  of  a  church,  but  it 
was  not  until  May  28th,  1873,  that  the  final  organization  was  effected 
Thirty-five  persons  presented  their  letters  and  were  organized  as  the 
Clinton  Avenue  Baptist  Church.  A  lot  having  been  bought  on  that 
avenue  for  the  erection  of  a  church  edifice,  a  house  was  eventually 
built  at  enormous  cost,  far  beyond  the  ability  of  the  church  to  pay  for. 
The  welfare  of  the  church  was  sacrificed  for  many  years  by  the  great 
debt  with  which  it  was  burdened.  The  building  would  certainly  have 
been  sold  by  the  sheriff,  but  for  the  thousands  of  dollars,  which  the  con- 
vention board  and  the  State  at  large  raised  to  pay  for  the  folly  of  its 
erection.  In  the  second  effort  to  cancel  its  debts,  the  Board  of  the 
Convention  mortgaged  another  church  property,  which  it  had  pledged 
its  honor  to  be  forever  kept  for  Baptist  uses,  and  to  pay  off  that  mort- 
gage has  offered  that  property  for  sale.  How  just  and  true  the  old 
saying:  "That  corporations  have  no  souls."  This  religious  corpor- 
ation verifies  thus  its  inability  to  be  honest  and  just  in  a  matter  of 
dollars  and  cents.  The  Central  Church  gave  to  the  Clinton  Avenue 
Church  the  chapel  and  property  on  Perry  street,  which  was  later  sold, 
the  funds  from  its  sale  appropriated  to  cancel  subsequent  debts. 

Mr.  C.  B.  Perkins  was  ordained,  became  pastor  in  October,  1873. 
The  church  worshipped  in  the  chapel  on  Perry  street  two  and  more 
years.     Mr.  Perkins  closed  his  pastoral  charge  in  February  1878. 

Rev.  N.  W.  Miner  settled  as  pastor  in  September,  1878.  His 
chief  work  was  to  collect  funds  to  save  the  church  edifice.  Although 
engaged  in  these  financial  matters,  the  spiritual  ties  were  not  over- 


TRENTON  143 

looked  and  many  converts  were  baptized.  But  the  load  was  burden- 
some and  Mr.  Miner  resigned  in  March,  1881.  Two  years  of  di.scourage- 
ment  passed  and  division  grew  out  of  these  financial  straits.  A  large 
number  drew  off  and  started  an  opposition  church  nearby.  It  dis- 
banded however,  in  a  short  time.  Amid  these  troubles,  the  mothei 
church  had  incumbered  itself  with  debt  for  repairs  and  improvements 
and,  distracted  with  divisions,  appealed  in  behalf  of  Baptist  interests, 
in  the  Capital  city  of  New  Jersey  to  the  Board  of  the  State  Convention. 
In  February,  1883,  the  Board  agreed  to  assume  the  mortgage  on  the 
property  and  appropriated  five  hundred  dollars  the  sum  of  the  annual 
interest  toward  the  pastor's  support,  collecting  also,  many  thousands 
of  dollars  for  the  debt  and  by  its  annual  appropriation  saved  the 
church  property.  It  is  only  just  to  Deacon  T.  C.  Hill,  on  whom  re- 
sponsibility wholly  lay  for  the  erection  of  such  a  house,  he  paid  thousands 
of  dollars  for  the  debts  of  the  church,  mortgaged  his  property  for  other 
thousands  to  pay  claims  against  the  church.  It  is  also  due  to  say, 
that  had  tlie  Central  Church  retained  the  financial  strength  it  had  when 
Mr.  Hill  began  his  enterprise,  different  conditions  would  have  pre- 
vailed, but  the  calamities  of  the  Central  Church  involved  its  own 
existence.  Had  Deacon  Hill  accepted  advice  and  l)uilt  a  ten  or  fifteen 
thousand  dollar  house,  the  Baptist  cause  would  have  been  advanced 
instead  of  being  retarded. 

Rev.  O.  T.  Walker  once  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  entered  the 
pastoral  office  in  1883,  but  he  failed  to  draw  his  friends  to  a  sinking 
craft,  he  gave  up  hope. 

In  February  1885,  Rev.  Judson  Conklin  settled  as  pastor  in 
September,  1885.  A  remaining  mortgage  of  ten  thousand  dollars  was 
paid  about  this  time.  Deacon  D.  P.  Forst  having  removed  to  New  York 
City  on  account  of  the  unwisdom  of  the  majority  of  the  Central  Church, 
left  a  legacy  of  two  thousand  dollars  to  Clinton  Avenue  Church  under 
given  conditions.  The  church  property  which  the  Board  pledged  itself 
to  keep  intact  was  mortgaged  for  the  balance  of  the  debbt  of  Clinton 
Avenue  Church.  Thus  there  have  been  no  entanglements  of  debt  in 
Mr.  Conklin's  pastorate,  that  cut  short  those  of  his  predecessors.  Mr. 
Conklin  is  now  pastor  (1900).  Clinton  Avenue  Church  since  relieved 
of  debt,  has  had  a  uniform  growth  both  by  baptisms  and  b}'  letters 
from  the  First  and  Central  Churches,  each  of  which,  until  within  the 
last  few  years  have  had  internal  agitations  and  some  of  the  strongest 
and  best  of  their  members  have  had  a  home  in  Clinton  Avenue.  These 
mature  members  constitute  the  church  a  center  of  power. 

No  other  church  in  the  State  has  had  so  much  done  for  it  by  its 
sister    churches.      Lately,      it  has      expended      nuieteen      thousand 


144  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

dollars  on  improvements  of  its  sanctuary.  Had  some  of  this  money 
cancelled  mortgages  on  conventon  property,  which  the  Board  pledged 
its  honor  to  keep  forever,  for  Baptist  uses  (which  property  is  now  oflfered 
for  sale,  said  mortgages  being  security  for  money  borrowed  to  pay  off 
the  debts  of  Clinton  Avenue  Church)  there  would  be  more  confidence 
in  the  convention  as  a  guardian  of  trust  funds.  The  future  ^vill  show 
the  appreciation  of  pastor  and  people  of  their  opportunity.  Mr.  Hill  was 
a  deacon  of  the  Central  Church,  was  identified  with  Perry  street  mission 
from  the  first.  He  was  a  constituent  of  Clinton  Avenue  and  was 
intensely  active  in  all  lines  of  Christian  work.  His  -wife  as  much  so  as 
himself.  If,  in  her  judgement,  he  lacked  in  giving  or  in  doing,  Mrs. 
Hill  was  an  inspiration  to  make  it  up.  Both  of  them  were  modest  and 
lowly.  He  made  his  pastor  his  confidant  in  business  and  in  his  re- 
ligious forecasts;  the  single  exception  was  in  the  kind  and  cost  of  the 
Clinton  Avenue  Church  edifice,  yet  received  his  protests  with  utmost 
kindness.  His  pastor  knew  that  he  was  first  and  always  a  Godly  man. 
Business  with  him  had  its  primal  motive  in  what  it  enabled  him  to  do 
for  his  Divine  Master.  Of  the  social  meetings  and  the  Sunday  school 
in  Perry  street,  he  was  the  main  stay.  But  one  other  member  of  the 
Central  Church,  Deacon  D.  P.  Forst  commanded  a  larger  foUo-nnng. 
His  purpose  to  build  so  large  and  costly  a  house  of  worship  for  Clinton 
Avenue  Church  illustrated  his  idea  that  nothing  was  too  good  for  God. 
He  had  not,  however,  taken  into  account  his  own  private  resources, 
nor  a  coming  financial  crisis. 

A  lesson  of  this  history  of  the  intent  of  a  good  man  is:  that  while 
desire  and  faith  justify  ventures  that  involve  the  honor  of  God's 
kingdom  and  the  integrity  of  his  servants,  we  need  to  be  sure  of  His 
indorsement  of  both  the  means  and  of  the  end,  exercising  common 
sense  as  to  the  probability  of  commanding  both  the  means  and  the 
end.  God  is  to  be  trusted;  not,  however,  in  the  anticipation  that  he 
will  do  what  we  think  he  ought  to  do.  He  is  Himself,  the  best  judge 
of  what  he  ought  to  do.  Clinton  Avenue  Church  has  had  four  pastors, 
and  two  houses  of  worship.  The  chapel  on  Perry  street  serving  its 
use  the  first  two  years  of  its  life. 

Baptist  churches  have  various  origin;  a  mission  Sunday  school, 
a  chapel,  an  outgrowth  of  the  mind  of  Christ  in  a  few  loving  souls, 
cheered  in  their  purpose  by  a  missionary  pastor  of  a  nearby,  possibly 
of  a  mother  church,  or  through  men  and  women  who  see  in  the  wastes 
about  them  an  invitation  to  possess  the  land.  There  is  a  great  differ- 
ence in  pastors.  One  limits  himself  to  the  church  he  serves.  Quietude 
is  to  him,  a  condition  of  spiritual  health;  expansion  is  a  waste.  To  an- 
other the  noise  and  excitement  of  the  battlefield  are  essential.  Limitation 


TRENTON  145 

stifles  him.  The  sphere  of  these  men  in  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  as 
different  as  their  temperament.  Fields  also  are  as  unlike  as  the  ax, 
the  plow.  There  is  use  for  both  in  the  varied  condition  of  humanity. 
The  Wiseman  may  have  had  this  in  mind  when  he  said:  "The  fining 
pot  for  silver,  and  the  furnace  for  gold."  Prov.  27;21. 

The  pastor  of  Central  Trenton  church  began  a  mission  in  East 
Trenton  about  1868.  The  suburb  was  new,  the  people  widely  scattered. 
Neither  halls  nor  school  houses  suited  for  worship.  However,  there 
was  a  small  room  in  a  pottery  above  the  oven,  the  top  of  which  was  its 
floor.  Permission  was  given  to  hold  meetings  in  it  on  Lord's  Day 
afternoons.  The  place  was  very  warm  and  small  and  the  floor  hot 
from  the  fire  under  it.  At  the  first  meeting,  about  twcntj'  persons  were 
present.  It  was  a  long  and  weary  walk  in  the  heat  of  summer  from  the 
parsonage  to  the  place  of  meeting.  A  Sunday  school  could  not  be  held, 
for  while  the  church  would  supply  needed  books  and  other  essentials, 
there  was  not  a  safe  place  for  them.  A  change  of  place  was  necessary. 
Mr.  Philips  had  a  brick  yard  near  by  and  he  gave  the  use  of  his  office 
for  a  Sunday  school,  where  it  met  till  a  chapel  was  built.  Under 
Pastor  Keyser,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Griffiths  in  the  fall  of  1870,  a  chapel 
was  built.  Deacon  D.  P.  Forst  furnishing  the  means  and  Mr.  Keyser 
maintained  a  Lord's  Day  afternoon  service  there,  while  pastor  and 
having  resigned  in  March,  1875,  v/as  followed  by  Rev.  T.  R.  Howlett 
a  former  pastor.  He  ad\-ised  the  church  to  give  up  the  Olivet  Mission, 
and  the  property  came  into  the  possession  of  Deacon  Forst  and  of  J.  E. 
Darrah,  they  assuming  the  indebtedness  of  the  building  due  to  Mr. 
Forst,  he  having  advanced  the  funds  for  its  erection.  Eventually, 
the  property  belonged  to  the  estate  of  Mr.  Forst.  In  the  meantime, 
a  son  of  Deacon  William  McKee,  of  the  Central  Church  and  a  son  of  a 
former  pastor,  who  had  begun  the  mission  sustained  the  Sunday  school 
when  disasters  befell  the  Central  church  from  1873  to  1879. 

The  Clinton  Avenue  Church  was  foster  mother  of  the  mission, 
carmg  for  it,  for  four  years,  especially  under  the  superintendence  of 
Mr.  William  Ellis,  whose  devotion  to  the  mission  was  tireless.  Un- 
happily, a  proviso  in  the  deed  of  the  lot  returned  it  to  the  giver  of  the 
lot  at  the  suspension  of  the  mission.  Whereupon,  Deacon  Forst 
bought  the  property  and  it  became  a  part  of  his  estate.  Later  arrange- 
ments were  made  by  which  it  came  to  the  Olivet  Church.  The  Baptist 
City  Mission  Board,  into  whose  charge  the  mission  had  come,  in  June 

1895,  appointed  Mr.  W.  A.  Pugsly,  a  Missionary  on  the  field,  and  in  April 

1896,  the  Olivet  Church  was  organized  with  thirty-four  constituents. 
Twenty-six  were  from  Clinton  Avenue  Church,  that  church  being 
closely  associated  with  the  field.     Rev.  J.  L.  Coote  became  pastor  in 


146  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

August  1896,  remaining  till  1900,  when  he  resigned  to  enter  another 
charge.  While  pastor,  the  house  of  worship  has  been  extensively 
improved  and  enlarged  and  the  church  has  fully  occupied  its  field. 
Despite  the  uncertainties  and  changes  experienced  by  the  mission  since 
1868  to  the  organization  of  a  church  in  1896,  twenty-eight  years,  one 
man,  William  B.  Ellis  has  stood  by  the  mission,  kept  the  Sunday 
school  alive,  secured  occasional  preaching  and  through  him,  the  Olivet 
church  has  become  a  possibility. 

Mr.  Ellis  had  been  an  unbeliever  in  Christianity,  having  large 
influence  with  young  men  and  imbuing  them  with  his  enmities  to 
Christianity.  Mrs.  Judge  J.  Buchanan,  member  of  Central  church, 
sent  a  note  to  Mr.  Ellis  inviting  him  to  visit  her  in  her  sick  room.  He 
did  so  and  induced  him  to  go  to  the  church  with  her  husband.  The 
pastor  found  them  both  on  their  knees  in  prayer.  Mr.  Ellis  was 
converted  and  was  baptized  in  February  1867,  and  from  that  time, 
had  a  new  purpose  in  living,  to  save  men  and  was  most  active  in  mis- 
sions and  in  personal  work.  Living  near  Olivet  mission,  he  established 
a  prayer  meeting  in  his  house.  There  had  not  been  a  religious  meeting 
before  in  that  neighborhood.  At  the  first  meeting  the  window  glass 
were  all  broken  with  stones  and  his  house  battered  and  defaced.  But 
the  meeting  went  on.  Factories  employing  children  of  foreign  born 
people,  instanced  the  need  of  Christian  influence  there.  Mr.  Ellis 
lived  to  see  a  great  change  about  his  home  and  the  vicinity  is  as  orderly 
as  any  other.  Although  Olivet  Church  sprang  from  the  Central 
Church  and  its, chapel  was  built  by  its  members,  it  is,  though  cast  off 
by  the  pastor  of  that  body,  really  a  fruitage  of  Clinton  Avenue  Church 
and  of  the  City  Mission  Society.  One  house  and  one  pastor  has  served 
the  church. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Lasher  was  the  first  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  church 
of  Trenton  to  occup}'  Sovith  Trenton  with  local  missions.  The 
church  itself  was  ready  to  respond  to  the  labors  of  its  pastors  to  plant 
missions  at  home.  But  the  pastors  appear  to  have  been  content  with 
their  home  work,  excepting  M.  J.  Rhees  who  preached  in  North 
Trenton,  near  by  where  the  Central  Trenton  Church  is  located.  At 
his  removal  the  appointment  ceased.  Mr.  Young,  under  the  pretence 
of  a  Second  Baptist  Church  in  Upper  Trenton,  colonized  there.  But 
its  unhappy  beginning  and  wretched  end,  was  a  discredit  to  the  Baptist 
cause  in  the  city.  To  Pastor  Lasher  belongs  the  credit  of  seeing  an 
opportunity  and  of  having  a  "mind  to  work"  and  developing  the 
forces  of  the  First  church  to  accomplish  great  things  for  God  and  men. 
His  choice  of  the  field  for  another  church  in  South  Trenton  Avas  a  sound 


TRENTON  147 

judgment,  within  the  care,  sympathy,  financial  aid,  which  the  mission 
might  need  from  the  mother  church. 

Not  only  the  location  at  the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Rocbling  Ave- 
enues,  but  the  provision  of  the  large  grounds,  the  size  and  type  of  the 
chapel  built,  evinced  a  comprehension  of  future  needs,  an  intent  to 
provide  for  them.  The  chapel  was  dedicated  in  May  1869.  Ground 
and  building  costing  nearly  twenty-five  hundred  dollars.  Previously, 
a  city  mission  society  was  formed.  Earlier  propositions  of  the  kind  had 
failed  because  of  jealousies  growing  out  of  the  Young  influence.  Much 
credit  is  due  to  Mr.  Lasher,  that  he  not  only  refused  to  walk  in  leading 
strings,  but  broke  them  in  pieces.  The  enterprise  was  named,  "The 
Hamilton  Mission."  A  missionary,  Rev.  James  Thorn,  had  been 
employed  by  the  City  Mission  Society,  who  labored  in  both  the  Perry 
street  chapel  and  in  the  "Hamilton  Mission." 

On  September  10th,  1874  the  Hamilton  Mission  was  organized 
into  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church  with  a  constituency  of  fifty-four 
members,  nearly  all  of  them  from  the  First  Baptist  Church.  Rev. 
M.  Johnson  was  the  first  pastor  for  two  years,  when  illness  caused  his 
removal.  Rev.  F.  Spencer  followed  for  three  years  to  1877.  Under 
his  labors  continuous  refreshings  were  enjoyed.  Also  the  meeting 
house  was  enlarged.  Illness  limited  the  stay  of  Rev.  L.  H.  Copeland 
as  pastor,  to  a  few  months.  His  successor,  William  H.  Burlew,  also 
had  a  pastorate  of  only  about  eighteen  months. 

In  August  1883,  E.  J.  Foote  having  been  a  "supply"  for  months, 
settled  as  pastor.  During  this  charge,  various  gifts  from  without, 
were  applied  for  repairs,  the  mortgage  debt  was  reduced  and  other 
claims  were  paid.     Mr.  Foote  resigned  in  1889. 

Next  came  as  pastor.  Rev.  H.  B.  Harper  in  1890.  In  1891,  plans 
were  adopted  for  a  new  church  edifice  which  was  begun  in  August 
1891 .  The  next  April,  1892,  the  unfinished  audience  room  was  occupied 
furnished  with  the  old  furniture  of  the  old  house.  The  church  has 
never  as  yet,  recovered  from  this  folly.  Had  the  old  house  been 
cleansed,  painted  and  furnished  anew,  it  would  have  saved  the  church 
from  a  debt  that  has  paralyzed  it  and  every  pastor's  work  since.  Mr. 
Harper  resigned  after  three  years  and  fled  from  the  burden  with  which 
he  had  cursed  the  church.  Some  pastors  have  the  gift  of  getting 
churches  into  trouble  and  then  leaving  them  for  more  comfortable 
quarters  and  enjoying  the  disasters  they  have  left.  Mr.  Foote  was 
a  member  of  the  church  and  had  he  insisted  upon  a  reasonable  im- 
provement and  enlargement  of  the  building,  it  could  have  been  made 
attractive.  He  also  has  gotten  away  to  more  pleasing  surroundings  in 
a  church  able  to  pay  expenses. 


148  Nl'lW  .IIOKSMV  HAI'TIS'I'  IlISTOUY 

III  1893,  Hov.  D.  S.  Mulhcrn  entered  tlie  pastoriite.  It  devolved 
on  him  to  complete  the  buildinj^,  The  andience  room  most  unsi[:;htly, 
unfinished,  with  delapidated  furniture,  the  debt  and  folly  from  which 
Mr.  Harper  liad  fled,  was  increased  by  this  needful  improvement.  It 
was  then  ileeided  to  dedicate  the  house,  which  took  place  in  June! 895. 
A  feature  of  the  service  was,  that  Rev.  T.  S.  Griffiths,  pastor  of  the 
Central  ('hureh,  when  the  Perry  street  chapel  wa.s  built,  offered  the 
prayer  of  dccHcation,  also  offered  the  prayc^r  of  dedication  at  the 
"Hamilton  Mission"  was  sent  to  olTer  the  prayer  of  dedication  of  this 
sanctuary.  Mr.  Mulhcrn  was  pastor  about  three  years.  In  this 
short  time  there  were  almost  as  many  l)aptized  into  the  church  as  in 
the  ten  years  before.  The  largest  number  of  baptisms  in  one  year,  sev- 
enty-five, w:is  in  this  charge. 

Mr.  Mulhcrn  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  K.  Manning.  Good  hopes 
were  indulged  for  the  church  under  Mr.  Manning,  but  the  hopeless 
relief  from  debt  is  a  sufficient  explanation  of  disappointment.  Some 
suggest  abandoning  the  j)rop('rly  and  locating  elsewhere.  But  the 
large;  pojiulation  about  the  house  of  worship  must  be  cared  for.  If 
the  First  Baptist  churcli  would  undertake  relieving  the  church  of 
debt,  they  could  do  it.  Mr.  Manning  wjis  still  pastor  in  1900. 
The  clun-ch  hius  h:id  eight  pastors.  Two  houses  of  worship,  the  first 
built  and  paid  for  by  the  First  church,  the  Second  which  if  the  church 
could  sell  for  its  ilebt,  would  be  in  an  improved  condition.  Three 
hundred  and  eighty-oiu;  have  been  baptized  up  to  1900,  an  annual 
average  of  nearly  fourteen. 

As  saiil  in  the  history  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Trenton,  under 
Mr.  Lasher's  enterprising  antl  missionary  pastorate  lots  were  given 
in  the  sixth  ward  on  which  to  build  a  chapel.  In  June  1870,  the  pastor 
induced  the  church  to  build  the  chapel  and  begin  mission  work.  The 
building  was  dedicated  on  March  19th,  1871.  A  Sunday  school  and 
devotional  meetings  were  maintained  until  1891.  When  the  fifth 
Baptist  church  was  organized  with  a  membership  of  thirty-one,  twenty- 
eight  of  them  were  dismissed  from  the  First  Bajjti.st  church,  under 
the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Elijah  Lucas.  At  its  origin,  T.  C  Young 
was  identified  with  the  church  first  as  "supply"  then  as  pastor.  He 
resigned  in  1893,  and  in  Scptcmper  1893,  Rev.  J.  P.  Hunter  became 
pastor.  In  that  year,  lots  in  another  location  were  bought,  with  the 
intent  to  move  the  building  to  the  new  lots.  This  was  accomplished 
in  1894.  Mr.  Hunter  terminated  his  pjistorate  in  1896.  Rev.  F.  C. 
Brown  followed  him  that  year.  Mr.  Brown's  coming  was  attended 
with  tokens  of  Divine  blessing  and  many  converts  were  added  to 
the  church  by  baptism.     Pastor  Brown  resigned  in  1899.     Mr.  C.  M. 


TRKNTDN  149 

Anglo  in  that  yciir  wius  culled  iind  ord.iiiicd,  ixjconiinf!;  pastor.     Mr. 
Atif^ln  in  pastor  in  li)()(). 

Youiif!;  cliiirclics  in  cities  have  a  l()tifi;,]jliard  stnigKlc;  into  indo- 
|)(!nd(!nc(;  of  outside;  aid.  The  more  so,  if  under  the  shadow  of  a  large 
and  infhuiiitial  church.  If,  however,  generosity  and  open  heartedness 
he  in  the  p.'ustor  of  the  mother  church,  toward  the  struggling  hand,  the 
burden  is  shared  and  lightcuKMl.  But  if  selfishness  and  home  interests 
dominate  the  pjustor  and  mother  church  and  the  younger  is  left  to 
carry  its  own  burdens,  only  those  who  know  the;  hard.ships  of  building 
up  a  young  church  in  th(;  busy  city,  can  know  the  co.st  and  anxiety 
of  such  an  enteri)ri.se.  The  word  of  tlu;  Apostle  in  II  Cor.  12:14, 
"For  the  children  ought  not  to  lay  up  for  the  parents,  but  the  t)are,nts 
for  the  cliildreii,"  is  a  rul(>  of  th(>  nilationsliip  between  a  mother  church 
and  its  daughter.  Fifth  Trenton  church  has  had  four  p;istors,  one 
meeting  house  which  has  been  r  moved  from  one  location  to  another. 


"T* 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


HAMILTON  SQUARE  AND  PRINCETON 


Hamilton  Square  was  originally  named  Nottingham  Square 
Baptist  church;  by  a  division  of  the  township,  the  church  edifice  was 
in  Hamilton  township  and  the  name  was  changed  to  that  of  the  town. 
That  wonderful  man,  Peter  Wilson,  pastor  of  Hightstown  Baptist 
church,  made  a  station  at  Hamilton  Square  in  1785.  A  house  of  wor- 
ship was  built  in  1788.  The  lot  was  given  by  Mr.  Eldridge  and  the 
house  erected  through  Mr.  Nutt.  Those  converted  at  the  Square 
united  with  the  Hightstown  church  and  the  Hamilton  Square  church 
was  organized  April  25th,  1812,  of  members  dismissed  from  Hights- 
town church.  Mr.  Wilson  was  the  first  pastor  resigning  in  1816,  a 
period  of  thirty-one  years  from  1785  and  four  years  after  the  consti- 
tution of  the  church.  Rev.  Mr.  Boswell  of  First  Trenton  church 
followed  Mr.  Wilson  in  1818,  serving  four  years.  When  adopting 
Swedenborgian  views,  he  was  excluded  form  First  Trenton  Baptist 
church.  Rev.  John  Seger  became  pastor  at  Hamilton  Square  in  1820, 
preaching  alternately  at  Hightstown  and  Hamilton  Square.  Two 
years  of  this  time  was  in  alternation  at  the  Square  with  Mr.  Boswell  of 
First  Trenton  Baptist  church.  Mr.  Seger  served  Hamilton  Square 
for  twelve  years.  He  was  very  useful,  highly  esteemed  and  his  labors 
and  influence  of  an  abiding  character.  After  his  resignation,  three 
years  of  pastoral  destitution  occurred.  In  this  time,  assention  pre- 
vailed; antinomianism  developed.  In  1835,  Rev.  W.  D.  Hires  was 
pastor  a  few  months. 

Rev.  S.  Stites  became  pastor  in  1837.  He  was  the  first  to  give 
his  entire  time  to  the  church.  Humble  and  a  Godly  man,  he  labored 
amid  many  trials  from  the  antinomian  element  for  sixteen  years. 
Says  a  later  pastor:  "Few  would  have  labored  so  long  and  been  so 
diligent  for  a  church,  so  wanting  in  sympathy  and  respect  for  a  pastor, 
as  was  this  church."  Only  the  staunchness  of  pastor  Stites  saved  the 
church  from  being  swept  away  by  antinomianism.  Their  contentions 
were  a  great  injury  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  The  church  clerk,  one  of 
them,  when  these  sloughed  off,  took  the  early  records  of  the  church 
to  this  faction,  so  that  they  are  lost.  While  Mr.  Stites  was  pastor,  a 
parsonage  was  built  in  1839.  The  sanctuary  built  in  1785  and  in  use 
sixty-six  years,  which  was  supplanted  by  a  larger  and  better  house 


HAMILTON  SQUARE  151 

in  1851.  Pastor  Stites  resigned  in  1852  and  settled  as  pastor  in  a 
near  by  church,  where  he  ministered  two  years,  even  though  suffering 
great  physical  sickness,  aggravated  by  his  trials  at  Hamilton  Square 
and  then  went  to  where  "the  wicked  cease  from  troubling." 

In  the  next  June  1853,  Rev.  William  Paulin  settled  as  pastor. 
His  ministry  had  positive  results;  in  changing  pastors,  the  benevolence 
of  the  church  was  developed  and  the  Sunday  school  which  had  been 
extinct  for  a  long  time.  Mr.  Paulin  gathered  many  converts  into 
tiie  church  and  closed  his  charge  at  Hamilton  Square  in  January  1859. 
Rev.  A.  H.  Bliss  entered  the  pastoral  office  in  the  next  August  and 
resigned  there  at  the  end  of  three  years,  leaving  the  church  in  the 
enjoyment  of  revival  mercies. 

On  February  1st,  1863,  Rev.  W.  E.  Watkinson  entered  upon  charge 
of  the  church.  Mr.  Watkinson  was  an  active  and  devoted  pastor,  as 
well  as  a  good  preacher.  Congregations  increased  rapidly;  the  larger 
house  and  its  spacious  galleries  were  crowded  with  an  interested  and 
earnest  people.  Thus  for  eight  years,  the  church  grew  in  all  the 
elements  of  growth  and  power.  Seldom  has  a  pastor  wrought  so 
great  a  change  and  accomplished  such  gains.  In  one  of  the  annual 
revival  seasons,  Mr.  Watkinson  baptized  eighty-nine.  Among  them 
were  twenty-two  husbands  and  their  wives.  The  annual  average  of 
baptisms  for  eight  years  was  more  than  thirty-five.  The  visits  of  Mr. 
Watkinson  to  his  old  field  were  very  much  like  a  jubilee. 

In  1870,  the  church  decided  to  build  a  house  of  worship  at  Allen- 
town,  anticipating  there  a  church  organization.  Pastor  Watkinson 
resigned  to  take  effect  in  1871.  Rev.  W.  W.  Case  accepted  a  call  to 
be  pastor  and  entered  the  pastorate  in  October  1871.  His  father. 
Rev.  J.  B.  Case  is  widely  known  in  New  Jersey  as  a  useful  and  honored 
pastor  for  many  years.  Mr.  Case  retained  his  charge  for  ten  years, 
closing  his  labors  at  Hamilton  Square  in  December  1881.  Several 
revivals  were  enjoyed  while  Mr.  Case  was  pastor.  A  large  and  modern 
house  was  built  accommodating  the  congregations  that  crowded  and 
overflowed  the  old  house.  The  AUentown  movement  was  revived 
and  a  colony  of  efficient  men  and  women  were  dismissed  to  constitute 
a  church  there,  which,  since  its  organization  has  been  self-supporting 
and  a  helper  of  all  good  things  in  the  field  in  which  it  is  located.  But 
for  the  trustfulness  of  the  people  in  their  pastor,  calling  on  him  to 
write  their  "wills,"  dividing  their  property  between  the  church  and 
their  heirs,  who  loaded  the  odium  of  losing  gain  on  the  pastor,  Mr. 
Case  might  have  been  at  Hamilton  Square  to-day,  efficient  and  useful 
as  at  the  first.  The  moral  is:  Let  pastors  beware  of  writing  "wills," 
that  bequeath  anything  to  benevolence,  which  covetous  "heirs"  expect. 


152  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Had  Mr.  Case  heeded  tlie  wise  man's  councils  in  Prov.  22:3,  which  he 
repeats  as  of  special  moment,  he  would  have  escaped  much  slander 
and  hate. 

In  1882,  Rev.  Joseph  Butterworth  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor, 
remaining  four  years  and  enjoying  a  full  average  of  prosperity.  Mr. 
Butterworth  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Hutchinson  in  September 
1886.  Mr.  Hutchinson  was  one  of  the  great  preachers  of  his  day. 
Unaided  by  "notes"  his  sermons  both  in  rhetoric  and  in  discussion 
were  most  remarkable  if  not  perfect.  He  married  an  estimable  lady 
of  his  congregation,  with  usual  result.  At  the  end  of  three  years  he 
accepted  for  the  second  time  a  call  to  Philadelphia.  Two  years  later, 
it  was  said  at  his  burial,  by  one  who  had  known  him  long  and  inti- 
mately : 

"Thus,  not  many,  comparatively,  know  aught  of  him  whom  we 
mourn  to-day.  We  are  here  with  the  memory  of  a  dear  and  nol^le 
friend — one  who  has  left  the  world  better  than  he  found  it — one  who 
has  stood  as  a  rock  amid  the  raging  currents  of  men's  opinions,  turning 
them  hither  and  thither,  but  ever  himself  pointing  them  to  the  Cross. 
God  only  knows  the  value  of  such  a  life. 

"The  mightiest  forces  of  Nature  are  silent  in  their  operation.  The 
planets  and  the  sun,  and  the  sun's  sun,  on  up  to  the  Throne  of  God, 
give  out  no  sound.  They  who  dwell  therein  hear  nothing  and  see 
nothing  of  the  subtle  power  that  holds  each  in  its  place.  And  so, 
with  rare  exceptions,  the  greatest  power  of  a  life  is  its  unnoticed  in- 
fluence. 

"The  world  does  not  know  its  greatest  and  best  dwellers.  As  the 
fragrance  of  the  flowers  and  the  fruitage  of  the  forests,  unknown  and 
ungathered  of  men,  exceed  that  of  which  we  are  conscious,  so  of  human 
life  and  doings.  But  God  knows  them.  And  this  makes  us  glad. 
Since,  so  it  is  that  which  is  good  and  true  and  Godly  cannot  be  lost. 

"The  inaudible  lesson  of  the  broken  seal,  the  open  sepulcher,  the 
folded  napkin  on  its  stony  pillow,  is  graven  upon  the  soul  as  no  voice 
could  have  done  it." 

After  Mr.  Hutchinson,  Rev.  G.  Young  followed.  He  continued 
until  September  1894.  Followinj:;  Mr.  Young,  Rev.  W.  T.  G;illoway 
became  pastor,  beginning  his  duties  in  1895.  He  was  .still  pastor  in 
900.  One  church,  AUentown,  has  been  colonized  from  Hamilton 
Square,  with  fifty-two  members.  Another,  under  the  labors  of  Rev. 
A.  S.  Flock  in  the  vicinity  of  Hamilton  Square,  of  Windsoi-.  Under 
the  labors  of  Mr.  Flock,  many  converts  were  baptized  and  added  to 
Hamilton    Square,    Hightstown    and    AUentown    churches.     Some    of 


HAMILTON  S(JUARE  AND  ALLENTOWN  153 

these  agreed  to  unite  in  1898  and  constituted  themselves  at  the  Bap- 
tist church  at  Windsor;  Mr.  Flock  becoming  pastor. 

Several  members  of  Hamilton  Square  have  been  licensed.  Three 
church  edifices  have  been  in  use.  One  built  in  1785,  twenty-seven 
years  before  the  church  was  constituted.  Another,  in  1851,  under 
Pastor  Segar.  A  third  in  1881  under  Mr.  Case's  pastorate.  An 
incident  in  the  history  of  this  church  relative  to  the  tavern  license, 
and  the  change  their  temperance  ideas  have  undergone  is  found  in 
the  chapter  on  temperance  and  was  it  not  so  sorrowful  is  significant. 
Another  told  to  the  writer  by  Deacon  John  West  of  Hamilton  Square, 
whose  grandmother  was  baptized  by  Abel  Morgan  opposite  to  Red 
Bank,  Monmouth  county.  At  the  baptism  the  people  sang  the  hymn 
which  modern  compilers  deny  a  place  in  our  hymn  books  of  Praise. 
Christians,  if  your  heart  be  warm, 

Ice  and  snow  can  do  no  harm. 
If  by  Jesus  you  are  prized 

Rise,  believe  and  be  baptized. 
(And  other  verses.) 

Allentown  is  in  Monmouth  County,  about  five  miles  east  of  Ham- 
ilton Square.  It  is  a  rural  town  off  of  railroads.  This  explains  wh)% 
in  the  midst  of  five  or  six  large  Baptist  churches  it  is  only  in  1874, 
that  a  Baptist  church  was  formed  there.  Numerous  members  of 
Hamilton  Sqtiare  lived  in  and  near  to  the  town,  but  were  content 
with  their  old  home.  Population  tended  to  commercial  centers.  The 
quiet  and  lonely  place  might  have  been  longer  without  a  Baptist  church 
had  not  its  seclusion  been  an  attraction  to  a  widow  with  a  family  of 
children.  She  moved  there  in  1852.  One  of  her  sons  was  a  Baptist 
before  their  coming  and  another  later.  Both  joined  the  Hamilton 
Square  Baptist  church   walking  thither  on  the  Lord's  Day. 

In  the  years  1847-51,  Pastor  Armstrong  of  Upper  Freehold  church, 
preached  occasionally  in  Allentown  and  Rev.  W.  E.  Watkinson  of 
Hamilton  Square  church  arranged  in  1863  to  preach  regularly  in 
Allentown.  He  could  not  induce  his  church  to  buy  lots  and  build 
a  house  of  worship  in  the  town.  It  may  be,  that  it  was  best  that  he 
failed  since  they  might  have  bought  cheap  lots  on  a  back  street  and 
built  a  house  to  correspond.  At  a  proper  season,  Mr.  W^atkinson 
preached  in  a  near  by  grove  and  the  Methodists  allowed  him  occasionally 
the  use  of  their  house.  But  objections  to  the  movement  arose  from  an 
unexpected  quarter  and  the  meetings  ceased. 

When  Mr.  Case  settled  at  Hamilton  Square,  he  renewed  appoint- 
ments at  Allentown.  In  1873,  the  Rogers  brothers,  all  of  whom  were 
Baptists  and  sons  of  the  widow  referred  to,    became  owners  of  an  old 


154  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

store  building.  They  fitted  up  an  upper  room  at  their  own  cost  for 
Baptist  worship.  The  place  was  opened  for  worship  July  20th,  1873. 
This  is  another  instance  of  many  in  New  Jersey,  of  Baptists  standing 
by  their  convictions  of  truth,  of  duty  and  of  their  reward  in  triumph. 
A  Baptist  home  developed  Baptist  unity  and  purpose.  Pastors  at 
Hamilton  Square  and  at  Upper  Freehold  preached  at  appointed 
seasons.  Pastor  Case  began  special  meetings  in  November  1873, 
neighboring  pastors  aiding  him.  One  result  of  these  meetings  was,  that 
eleven  persons  were  baptized  in  a  stream  close  by  on  December  27th, 
1873. 

It  was  soon  after  decided  to  organize  a  Baptist  church.  Letters 
of  dismission  were  given  by  Hamilton  Square  church  to  any  of  its 
members  wishing  to  unite  with  the  AUentown  enterprise  and  on  the 
23rd  of  March,  1874,  the  AUentown  church  was  recognized  consisting 
of  fifty-two  constituents.  At  a  meeting  of  the  church  on  May  28th, 
1874,  Rev.  W.  E.  Watkinson  was  called  to  be  pastor.  Having  preached 
a  few  weeks,  consent  was  given  him  to  recall  his  acceptance  of  the 
pastorate  on  account  of  serious  illness. 

"Supplies"  ministered  to  the  church  until  October  12th,  1874, 
when  Rev.  W.  Lincoln  settled  as  pastor.  He  was  pastor  until  his 
death  on  April  24th,  1877.  His  charge  was  both  happy  and  fruit- 
ful. Both  himself  and  wife  were  buried  in  AUentown.  The  succession 
of  pastors  was:  J.  W.  Grant,  1877-8,  one  year;  W.  H.  Burlew,  1878-81; 
S.  L.  Cox,  1882-85;  H.  Tratt,  1885-88;  T.  C.  Young,  1888-90:  W.  W. 
Bullock,  1891-96;  A.  R.  Babcock,  1896-1900. 

The  first  place  of  worship  was  owned  by  the  Rogers  Brothers  and 
the  church  had  the  use  of  it  without  cost  until  October,  1879.  The 
church  was  compelled  to  have  more  room  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  congregation.  In  August,  1878,  steps  were  taken  to  build  a 
meeting  house  large  enough  to  hold  their  congregation.  Contracts 
were  made  for  such  a  sanctuary  to  be  ready  for  use  in  October,  1879. 
On  October  5th,  baptism  was  administered  in  the  baptistery. 

The  Rogers  Brothers  had  their  usual  share  in  building  and  pay- 
ment for  this  house  of  worship.  The  building  itself  is  a  most  creditable 
one,  thoroughly  equipped  with  a  large  pipe  organ,  heaters  and  fitly 
furnished.  Special  revivals  have  been  often  enjoyed  by  the  church 
and  unity  has  always  characterized  it.  Its  members  include  a  positive 
element  of  social  influence.  Other  denominations  had  preceded 
Baptists  and  were  rooted  in  the  community  and  cared  for  their  own. 
A  proper  thing  to  do.  StiU  they  have  been  kindly  to  later  comers. 
One  member  has  been  licensed  to  preach  and  is  a  pastor.  Of  the 
Rogers  Brothers,  one  is  left  in  AUentown.     The  others  have  gone  to 


PRINCETON  155 

their  bless?ed  reward.  Tlie  church  is  a  memorial  of  their  integrity  and 
of  their  devoted  Christian  faitlifulness  to  truth,  duty  and  to  God.  The 
widow  mother  wrought  a  good  work  by  her  removal  to  Allentown  and 
by  training  men  of  might  and  character  to  accomplish  large  things  for 
the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

The  church  named  Princeton  is  located  at  Penn's  Neck,  a  mile 
east  of  Princeton.  Originally,  it  was  known  as  Williamsburg.  On 
the  thoroughfare  from  Philadelphia  to  New  York,  it  is  believed  that 
William  Penn  and  George  Washington  slept  in  the  public  house,  which 
is  now  the  Baptist  parsonage.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  writing 
of  Peter  Wilson,  a  preface  in  the  original  church  book  of  the  Princeton 
church  at  Penn's  Neck. 

"Williamsborough  Baptist  church  book  commencing  December 
5th,  1812,  at  which  time  and  place,  their  meeting  house  was  opened 
and  solemnly  dedicated  to  and  for  the  worship  of  God.  History  of 
the  rise  and  progress  at  Williamsborough,  Penn's  Neck,  West  Windsor 
township,  county  of  Middlesex  and  State  of  New  Jersey.  Ministry  of 
Rev.  Peter  Wilson.  Preaching  commenced  at  John  Flock's  in  the 
township  of  Maiden  Head  (Pennington).  Also  at  tlie  house  of  John 
Campbell's  in  Princeton.  John  Flock  and  his  wife  joined  the  Baptist 
church  (Hightstown)  that  year,  1790,  Preaching  commenced  at  John 
Hights  on  Penn's  Neck  and  continued  in  different  private  houses  in 
Princeton.  Peggy  Schank  was  baptized  June  12th,  the  above  year. 
1791,  John  Hight  and  wife  were  baptized.  Richard  Thomas  and  wife 
were  baptized  in  1792  (Mr.  Thomas  was  a  delegate  to  the  New  Jersey 
Association  formed  in  1811,  also  to  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State 
Convention  begun  in  1830.)  Following  is  a  list  of  the  baptized  in  1793-6, 
1798-2,  1803-5,  1807-8,  1810-2,  1811-3,  these  being  entered  in  the  church 
book  of  Williamsborough,  were  residents  of  Penn's  Neck  and  vicinity. 

Mr.  Wilson  adds:  "It  is  remarkable  that  God  influenced  and 
disposed  William  Covenhoven,  Joseph  Grover,  John  Applegate,  Ben- 
jamin Maple,  William  Vaughan,  Henry  Silvers,  John  Jones,  Joseph 
Smith,  Richard  Thomas,  John  Flock,  Ezekiel  R.  Wilson,  members  of  the 
church  (Hightstown)  Joseph  Stout,  J.  A.  Schank,  John  Grover  and 
without  exception,  almost  the  inhabitants  of  Penn's  Neck  and  Prince- 
ton generously  contributed  to  raise  a  house  for  God.  It  was  undertaken 
with  spirit  and  the  carpenters  worked  well  and  nearly  completed  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  managers,  on  the  5th  day  of  December,  1812, 
when  it  was  solemnly  devoted  to  the  service  of  God.  What  remains 
still  more  remarkable  is,  that  the  first  sermon  preached  near  where  the 
meeting  hou.se  is  erected,  was  in  the  same  house  where  the  la.st  .sermon 
was  preached  before  the  dedication  of  the  house.     The  first  sermon 


156  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

was  from  Matt.  11:  28-30,  the  last  from  Rom.  13-  14.     All  the  above 
took  place  without  previous  reflection." 

PETER  WILSON. 

Then  follows  "the  covenant,"  in  Mr.  Wilson's  writing:  A  surprise 
is,  that  it  is  almost  the  same  at  The  Covenant  with  the  New  Hampshire 
confession  of  faith,  now  so  widely  adopted  by  Baptist  churches,  indica- 
ting how  much  alike  the  Baptists  of  the  former  days  and  the  later 
Baptists  are.  On  the  day  in  which  the  house  of  worship  was  dedicated, 
the  church  was  constituted  with  thirty-seven  members,  among  them 
was  a  Grover,  his  wife.  Mr.  Grover  was  a  descendant  of  James  Grover, 
a  con.stituent  of  Middletown  church,  organized  in  1G68;  also  two  Stouts, 
who  may  have  come  from  First  Hopewell  Baptist  church.  The  lot 
for  the  meeting  house  was  the  gift  of  a  Covenhoven  (Conover).  A 
red  sandstone  near  to  the  church  edifice  marks  his  burial 
place. 

Rev.  John  Cooper  became  pastor  in  February  1813,  preaching 
one  fourth  of  the  time.  His  successor,  Rev.  Alex  Hastings  was  called 
for  a  year  in  1815.  He  kept  a  school,  netting  him  two  hundred  dollars 
additional  to  what  the  church  pledged.  The  ensuing  three  or  four 
years  was  a  period  of  dissention  and  decline.  Mr.  Howard  Malcolm, 
a  Baptist  student  at  Princeton  college  "supplied"  the  church  from 
November  15th,  1818.  During  his  stay  a  debt  of  five  hundred  dollars 
was  paid.  A  Sunday  school,  with  forty-six  pupils  and  eight  officers 
was  established.  Mr.  Malcom  stayed  till  1821.  On  his  removal,  the 
factious  spirit  broke  out:  from  the  record  book,  the  church  was  a  fighting 
band.  This  condition  continued  until  Rev.  John  Seger  of  Hightstown  and 
Hamilton  Square  preached  for  them  on  alternate  Lord's  Days  in  1821. 
In  that  year,  the  church  adopted  a  rule:  "That  the  female  members 
have  the  privilege  of  voting  on  all  church  business."  An  act  of  incor- 
poration was  also  obtained. 

On  Decemebr  22nd,  1827,  Rev.  Peter  Simonson  became  pastor. 
The  next  year,  the  Presbyterians  of  Dutch  Neck,  tried  to  get 
possession  of  the^house  of  worship.  A  pastor  writing  of  this  said: 
"Resistance  was  offered  to  them,  short,  sharp  and  successful."  A 
condition  in  the  deed  is  "that  if  the  Baptists  ceased  to  use  the  property, 
it  should  pass  to  another  denomination,  who  should  use  it  for  religious 
purposes."  After  Mr.  Simonson,  Rev.  George  Allen  entered  the  pas- 
torate in  August  1829.  At  this  time  the  membership  had  fallen  to 
thirty  and  the  congregation  to  three  persons.  The  factions  ruled. 
Rev.  D.  P.  Purdun  was  pastor  one  year  in  1830  and  the  name  of  the 
church  was  changed  to  "Penn's  Neck." 


PRINCETON  157 

In  1831,  Rev.  George  Allen  was  called  to  a  second  pastoral  care. 
His  second  charge  continued  thirteen  years.  Rev.  Thoma«  Malcom, 
son  of  Howard  Malcom,  a  student  at  Princeton,  visited  and  preached 
for  Mr.  Allen  and  on  his  ministry,  as  his  father's  in  the  same  place,  the 
Divine  blessing  rested,  a  revival  came  and  now  after  sixty  years,  mem- 
ory recalled  the  old  times  of  blessing  under  the  Father's  labors.  Mr. 
Allen  resigned  in  1844,  having  passed  his  seventieth  year,  returning 
to  Burlington,  where  like  to  Mr.  Boswell,  of  First  Trenton,  he  had  been 
deacon  and  pastor  and  died  there,  eighty-seven  years  old.  Thomas 
Malcom  supplied  the  vacancy  till  Rev.  Jackson  Smith  settled  in  1844-5. 
whose  health  compelled  his  retirement  from  the  ministry.  Under 
Rev.  D.  D.  Grey,  who  was  called  to  be  pastor  in  1846,  the  years  of  1847 
and  48  were  seasons  of  pre-eminent  revival  interest.  Unhappily,  his 
stay  was  but  three  years  and  despite  protests  persisted  in  his  resig- 
nation. Prior,  however,  to  his  leaving,  "the  church  appointed  a  com- 
mittee with  power  to  exact  from  each  member  their  proportion  as  may 
be  deemed  by  themselves  as  just  and  equal." 

William  C.  Ulyat  was  ordained  for  the  pastorate  in  August  1850. 
In  that  year  also,  it  was  resolved  "that  in  the  Providence  of  God,  we 
believe  that  the  time  has  come  when  we  should  build  a  house  of  worship 
in  Princeton  and  there  have  the  center  of  our  labors."  This  question 
of  the  removal  of  the  church  to  Princeton  had  been  under  discussion 
for  years.  Had  Mr.  Peter  Wilson  anticipated  Princeton  becoming 
the  center  of  influence  it  is,  he  would  doubtless  located  Penn's  Neck 
church  there.  The  writer  recalls  debates  in  the  Board  of  the  State 
Convention  in  Mr.  Grey's  charge.  One  curious  reason  given  for  it: 
It  was,  that  the  town  was  a  Presbyterian  town  and  if  the  people  had 
Baptist  light,  they  would  be  Baptists.  Much  unwise  talk  was  indulged 
in.  '  Hon.  Richard  Stockton  kindly  and  generously  gave  a  lot  for  a 
Baptist  church  edifice.  Other  locations  were  offered  for  a  price,  which 
if  bought,  the  Baptist  church  might  have  been  permanently  in  Prince- 
ton. The  building  was  begun  when  the  lot  was  secured  and  ready  for 
use  at  the  time  of  removal  to  Princeton  in  1853.  In  the  meantime, 
Mr.  Ulyat  resigned.  Rev.  S.  Sproul  became  pastor  at  Penn's  Neck  in 
October  of  that  year.  The  Princeton  church  edifice  was  dedicated  in 
December  and  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  that  of  its 
location. 

Penn's  Neck  church  was  not  a  unit  in  this  movement.  Numbers 
of  its  members  met  in  the  meeting  house  and  organized  themselves  as 
the  West  Windsor  Baptist  church.  In  about  six  years,  the  West 
Windsor  church  disbanded.  While  in  existence,  pastors  Penny, 
Stites  and  Nightengale  ministered  to  it.     The  condition  in  the  deed 


158  NEW  JEItSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

made  it  necessary  to  maintain  worship  at  Penn's  Neck  and  an  after- 
noon service  was  kept  up  by  the  pastors  at  Princeton,  preaching  in 
the  old  sanctuary. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Cornwell  entered  the  pastorate  at  Princeton  in  October 
1856.  Death  closed  his  career  on  earth  on  March  20th,  1857.  Next 
August,  Rev.  G.  Young  settled  as  pastor.  His  pastoral  care  was  happy 
and  useful  till  the  civil  war,  with  its  distractions  affecctd  injuriously 
all  spiritual  influences.  People  were  absorbed  with  its  anxieties  and 
woes.  Nature's  claims  for  loved  ones,  exposed  to  death  and  constant 
peril  could  not  be  denied.  Mr.  Young  possibly  was  pastor  four  or  five 
years.  Usually  his  pastorates  were  short,  but  often  repeated  in  the 
same  church,  being  a  very  able  preacher  and  good  pastor.  Following 
Mr.  Young,  Rev.  J.  B.  Hutchinson  accepted  the  charge  of  the  church. 
He  was  a  remarkable  man,  self  educated  and  one  of  the  most  able  and 
original  preachers  and  in  private  life,  a  lovable  man.  The  tone  of 
intellectual  life  in  Princeton  was  high.  But  Pastor  Hutchinson  could 
look  down  on  it.  His  congregation  included  many  intellectually  elite 
citizens  and  numerous  students  of  the  seminary  regularly  sat  under 
his  ministry.  Then,  as  now,  usually  small  churches  with  limited 
salaries  did  not  retain  as  pastors  foremost  men.  Mr.  Hutchinson  was 
summoned  to  Philadelphia.  Rev.  H.  Y.  Jones,  \^^dely  known  as  a  fore- 
most man  among  Baptists  became  pastor  in  1871.  Foreseeing  trouble 
and  prospective  return  by  the  church  to  Penn's  Neck  he  stayed  only 
a  year. 

Rev.  L.  O.  Crenelle  entered  on  the  pastoral  care  of  the  church 
in  1872.  His  oversight  of  the  church  at  this  time  was  providential. 
His  experience,  eminent  wisdom,  prudence  fitted  him  for  the  peculiar 
situation.  Local  conditions  hindered  the  growth  of  the  church,  sug- 
gesting a  return  to  Penn's  Neck  and  in  1874,  it  was  decided  to  return  to 
the  original  site  of  the  church.  Revival  blessings  delayed  the  move- 
ment for  a  year  and  more.  Hon.  Richard  Stockton  renewed  his 
generous  and  noble  offer  of  former  years,  relieving  the  church  of  stip- 
ulations in  the  deed  of  the  lot,  he  had  given  to  the  church  and  the 
property  in  Princeton  was  sold,  the  money  used  to  entirely  modernize 
the  house  at  Peen's  Neck  built  in  1812  and  as  ancient,  uncouth,  strong 
as  were  church  edifices  sixty  years  since.  The  frame  was  brought  to 
the  front  on  the  street  and  added  to  front  and  back  and  the  building, 
except  the  frame,  made  new  within  and  without. 

These  removals  forth  and  back  incurred  great  loss  of  congregation 
and  of  influence.  Each  removal  had  been  like  to  the  founding  of  new 
churches.  Pastor  Crenelle's  intelligent  devotion  and  able  ministry 
as  nearly  met  these  strange  conditions.     The  new  house  was  attractive 


PRINCETON  AND  JAMESBURG  UA) 

and  the  winning  personality  of  the  pastor  regained  much  that  liad  been 
lost. 

Mr.  Crenelle  having  resigned  in  May  1882,  E.  D.  Shall  was  chosen 
pastor,  entered  his  duties  in  February  1883,  retired  in  May  1884.  Rev. 
G.  F.  Love  was  called,  began  his  pastorate  in  November  1884  closing 
his  work  at  Penn's  Neck  at  the  end  of  1888. 

Immediately  on  January  1st,  1889,  T.  S.  Griffiths  having  been 
called,  began  his  labors.  During  the  two  former  pastorates,  clouds 
overshadowed  the  church.  Neither  pastor  nor  people  had  culitvated 
intimacy;  alienation,  indifferences  had  impaired  their  usefulness. 
Debt  also  accumulated,  annual  arrearages  grew  in  amount.  This 
disheartened  the  membership,  troubles  multiplied.  But  the  adoption 
of  plans  to  pay  financial  obligations  when  due  and  to  remove  causes 
of  differences  had  early  fruitiige  in  concord  and  cheer.  Ere  long 
the  accumulated  debt  was  paid.  This  pastorate  lasted  nearly  eight 
years.  The  pastor  closing  his  ministry  when  nearly  seventy-six  years 
old,  all  the  interests  of  the  church  work  growing  into  enlarging  efficiency. 
Rev.  Mr.  Lisk  acted  as  pastor  for  several  months  and  on  his  retirement, 
"supplies"  served  the  church  till  January  1898,  when  Rev.  William 
Wilson  became  pastor  and  is  now  (1900)  filling  the  office. 

Three  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  One.  C.  H.  Malcom,  a  student 
in  Princeton,  and  who  was  a  son  of  Howard  Malcom,  that  in  1819,  was 
an  instrument  of  great  blessing  to  the  church  and  a  brother  to  Thomas 
Malcom,  another  son  of  Howard  Malcom,  who  in  the  ministry  of  Rev. 
George  Allen  was  the  means  of  a  great  revival.  Another,  D.  Silvers, 
a  Presbyterian  student  in  Princeton  Seminary,  baptized  in  1864,  and 
for  many  years  an  able  Baptist  minister  and  a  successful  pastor.  Sev- 
eral church  edifices  have  been  built  .  One,  in  1812,  primitive  in  its 
style,  with  exalted  pulpit,  commanding  galleries.  A  second  at  Prince- 
ton quite  equal  to  any  other  house  of  worship  in  the  town.  The  third 
a  reconstruction  of  the  old  house  at  Penn's  Neck.  Its  reconstruction 
was  so  entire  as  to  have  the  frame  only  left  added  to  front  and  rear 
and  surmounted  with  a  steeple  and  a  bell. 

The  circumstances  of  the  origin  of  the  German  Baptist  church  of 
Jamesburg  were:  Rev.  C.  A.  Schlipf  of  Newark  visited  friends  there 
and  held  monthly  meetings  in  the  shade  of  the  yard  of  his  friend,  Mr. 
Buehler.  His  friend  asked  him  to  hold  a  meeting  in  Helmetta. 
He  did  so.  Whereupon,  Mr.  Helm  (proprietor  of  the  town)  offered 
to  build  a  chapel  if  Mr.  Schlipf  would  continue  his  mission.  He  con- 
sented. On  his  next  visit  the  materials  for  the  chapel  were  on  the 
ground.  Winter  stopped  out-door  work  and  the  building  having  neither 
doors  nor  windows,  a  Sunday  school  and  social  meetings  and  preaching 


160  NEW  JERSEY   BAPTIST  HISTORY 

were  begun,  although  storms  of  wind,  rain  and  snow  swept  through 
the  shivering  congregation.  Calls  came  to  Mr.  Sclilipf  to  hold  meetings 
in  Janiesburg.  A  hall  was  oiTered  for  his  use.  Mr.  Schlipf  visited 
and  distributed  tracts.  Cottage  meetings  were  held  and  four  German 
Baptists  were  found.  Within  a  year  these  increased  the  number  to 
thirteen.  They  all  joined  the  church  at  Hightstown  and  worshipped  in  a 
a  school  house  at  Jamesburg.  These  thirteen  met  on  May  18th,  1885 
and  organized  the  German  Baptist  Church  at  Jamesburg,  having 
been  dismissed  for  that  purpose.  In  the  end,  the  house  of  worship 
was  built  at  Jamesburg  for  both  of  which,  the  Hightstown  church  made 
generous  contributions.  In  the  erection  of  the  church  edifice  a  wind 
storm  nearly  tore  the  structure  to  pieces.  It  was  rebuilt  and  in  Feb- 
ruary 1887,  was  dedicated.  Later,  adjoining  lots  were  bought  and  a 
parsonage  built  in  1892.  Mr.  Schlipf  resigned  in  1894,  after  ten  years 
of  devoted  work.  This  German  church  is  being  slov/ly  Americanized 
as  have  been  other  German  Baptist  churches  in  New  Jersey.  The 
church  has  increased  to  quite  a  numerous  body  and  English  services 
are  held  in  the  afternoon  of  the  Lord's  Day,  begun  in  1901  or  2,  under 
the  conduct  of  Pastor  F.  G.  Walter,  whose  English  ministry  is  very 
satisfactory.  Rev.  C.  H.  Baum  followed  Mr.  Schlipf  in  1894  and 
ministered  one  year.  The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  E.  H.  Otto,  who 
settled  in  1896.  Repairs  were  made  on  the  house  of  worship  in  1897. 
The  social  meetings  at  Helmetta,  that  through  a  misunderstanding 
had  been  suspended  were  renewed.  Mr.  Otto  resigned  in  Novemeber, 
1899  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  F.  G.  Walter  in  1900,  who  is  enjoying 
the  confidence  of  his  brethren  as  did  his  predecessors. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


DIVIDING  CREEK,  TUCKAHOE,    MILLVILLE, 
NEWPORT   AND   PORT  NORRIS. 


A  small  stream  called  "Dividing  Creek"  gave  its  name  to  the 
village  on  its  banks  and  to  the;  Baptist  church  located  there.  Morgan 
Edwards  states  of  the  origin  of  the  Baptist  church:  "About  the  year 
1749,  a  colony  of  menil)ers  of  Cohansie  church  moved  to  "Dividing 
Creek,"  which  involved  visits  of  the  pastor.  Rev.  Robert  Kelsay  and 
several  residents  were  converted." 

The  village  being  on  the  way  from  Cohansie  to  First  Cape  May 
church,  other  ministers  stopped  there  and  preached  as  was  an  old  time 
custom.  In  1751,  Mr.  Seth  Love  gave  a  large  plot  of  ground  on  which 
to  build  a  Baptist  meeting  house.  When  built  is  not  known,  but  the 
minutes  of  a  council  to  recognize  the  church  state  that  "We  met  the 
said  people  in  their  meeting  house,"  and  the  house  must  have  been 
erected  before  the  church  wits  formed. 

This  building  was  burned  in  1770.  Of  the  colonists  to  Dividing 
Creek  from  Cohansie,  four  of  them  were  Sheppards  and  it  may  have 
been  a  family  party.  Rev.  Samuel  Heaton  and  his  wife  removed 
from  Cape  May  to  Dividing  Creek,  making  the  number  of  Baptists 
twelve.  (Mr.  Edwards  gives  twelve;  names)  and  these  organized  into 
a  Baptist  church  in  May  17G1.  In  that  year  they  bought  one  hundred 
acres  of  hmd,  built  on  it  a  dwelling  house  and  other  needed  buildings 
(a  parsonage)  for  their  pastor,  costing  several  thousand  dollars.  Indi- 
cating ample  means  both  to  care  for  the  pastor  and  also  a  readiness 
to  expend  them  for  Christ.  Considering  that  in  these  early  days 
incomes  were  uncertain  but  necessarily  small,  especially  in  the  country, 
a  parsonage  farm  and  additional  salary  to  pay  wages  of  men  to  work 
the  farm,  the  pastor  was  relieved  of  anxiety  for  his  support.  We 
Baptists  have  reason  to  be  thankful  for  our  ancestry  and  to  be  proud 
of  them.  Rev.  Samuel  Heaton,  the  first  pastor,  was  a  constituent 
of  the  church  and  served  the  church  sixteen  years  till  he  died  in  Septem- 
ber 1777,  sixty-six  years  old.  (For  the  remarkable  history  of  Mr. 
Heaton  and  how  he  became  a  Baptist,  see  History  of  Mount  Olive 
church,  Sussex  County.)  Mr.  Heaton's  pastorate  was  most  happy. 
11 


162  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

His  ministry  was  in  the  demonstration  and  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
After  his  death,  Rev.  P.  P.  Van  Horn  "suppUed"  the  church  once  in 
two  weeks  and  in  1779  was  called  to  be  pastor  continuing  till  1783, 
really  being  pastor  nearly  six  years.  Mr.  Van  Horn  was  a  devoted 
pastor  till  he  died  at  Salem  in  1789.  His  labors  at  Dividing  Creek 
were  eminently  useful.  Rev.  Wiliam  Locke  became  pastor  in 
spring  of  1785,  but  God  called  him  on  high  the  next  September.  Mr. 
John  Garrison,  Jr.,  a  licentiate  of  the  church  "supplied"  the  church 
until  called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained  in  1787  and  died  while 
pastor  in  1790.  Mr.  Garrison  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  grandson 
of  A.  Garrison,  licensed  by  Cohansie  in  1743.  He  was  baptized  by 
Mr.  Heaton,  whose  daughter  he  married.  A  vacancy  occurred  of  nearly 
two  years  in  the  pastoral  office,  when  Rev.  G.  A.  Hunt  settled  as 
pastor.  Mr.  Hunt  resigned  in  1796.  "Supplies"  again  preached  till 
ISOl.  when  Rev.  John  Rutter  entered  the  pastoral  office,  remaining 
two  years.  Rev.  D.  Stone  followed  and  served  about  four  years. 
Suppfies  again  ministered  for  two  years.  Then  in  July,  1810,  Rev. 
David  Bateman  was  pastor.  His  is  a  memorable  name  in  New  Jer- 
sey. His  charge  at  Dividing  Creek  was  only  two  years.  They  were 
years  of  the  right  hand  of  the  most  High.  It  is  believed  that  Mr. 
Bateman  was  born  at  Cohansie  in  1777.  Not  until  four  years  had 
gone  did  Dividing  Creek  church  have  another   pastor. 

In  1816,  Rev  Thomas  Brooks  became  pastor  and  for  twenty  years 
until  1836,  held  the  office,  serving  most  acceptably.  When  seventy- 
five  years  old,  Mr.  Brooks  resigned.  In  early  life,  he  had  been  a 
sailor.  During  the  American  Revolution,  he  was  taken  prisoner  by 
the  English  and  suffered  the  horrible  treatment  they  usually  imposed 
upon  their  American  prisoners,  especially  sailors.  He  and  others 
were  shut  in  the  hold  of  a  ship  and  starved|till  their  hair  fell  out  and 
they  had  the  alternative  of  joining  the  British  or  of  "walking  the 
plank."  Finally  they  were  taken  to  England  and  shut  up  in  prison 
for  two  years  and  starved.  They  even  caught  and  eat  dogs  that  came 
with  visitors  allowed  to  see  them. 

Rev.  William  Bacon,  M.  D.  followed  Mr.  Brooks.  The  salary 
was  insufficinet  for  his  support  and  he  supplemented  it  with  his  medical 
practice.  Dr.  Bacon  was  pre-eminently  a  good  man.  His  purity 
of  life  won  him  friends  in  all  circles  of  society.  His  domestic  life  was 
most  trying  to  a  man  of  chastity.  For  eleven  years  he  served  the 
church.  The  Doctor's  unaffected  piety  gave  him  great  power  with 
men,  the  more  so,  because  of  his  noble  Christian  patience  with  the 
infidelities  of  his  home.     At  last,  in  1868,  he  had  rest  in  death. 


DIVIDING  CREEK  163 

In  1850,  Rev.  Daniel  Kelsay,  son  of  Pastor  Kelsay  of  Cohansic, 
entered  the  pastorate  and  ministered  to  the  church  four  years  till 
1853.  Mr.  Kelsay  had  many  of  the  excellent  qualities  of  his  prede- 
cessor, unassuming,  intelligent  and  good.  The  church  and  the  com- 
munity could  not  Init  be  bettered  by  his  relation  to  it.  A  young  man 
succeeded  Mr.  Kelsay  in  June  1854.  Rev.  U.  Cauffman  soon  winning 
the  hearts  of  the  people,  an  unclouded  sunshine  filled  the  future.  These 
however,  were  all  disappointed.  In  ten  months  he  died  on  April  17th, 
1855,  twenty-eight  years  old.  Rev.  George  Sleeper  settled  as  pastor 
the  next  June  and  after  three  years,  resigned  in  1858. 

In  the  following  forty-two  years,  fifteen  pastors  have  ministered 
to  the  church.  They  are,  H.  W.  Webber,  1859-61;  A.  H.  Folwell, 
1861-63;  Benjamin  Jones,  1863-65;  E.  V.  King,  1865-66;  L.  W.  Wheeler, 
1866-68;  J.  H.  Hyatt,  1869-70.  E.  W.  Stager,  1870-73;  H.  B.  Raybold, 
1874-77. 

At  this  the  time  the  church  resolved:  "That  it  is  not  our  interest 
as  a  church  to  change  pastors  every  year  or  two."  A  lesson  of  ex- 
perience. Initiatory  steps  were  taken  at  this  time,  to  erect  a  house 
of  worship  at  Point  Norris.  C.  P.  DeCamp,  1877-78;  M.  M.  Finch, 
1879-84.  The  church  edifice  at  Point  Norris  was  built  in  this  term 
and  sixty-three  members  were  dismissed  to  constitute  a  church  there. 
W.  Cattell,  1885-88;  J.  W.  Evans,  1889-93;  A.  L.  Williamson,  1894-97; 
E.  Thompson,  1897-  1900.  The  resolution  that  short  pastorates  were 
not  helpful  seems  to  have  been  a  vain  effort  to  reform.  These  frequent 
changes  were  not  due  to  any  difhculties.  The  pastors  were  invariably 
spoken  of  with  commendation,  with  one  exception.  Most  likely  the 
isolation  of  the  church  in  a  rural  district;  an  uncommercial  people 
limiting  growth  and  the  small  salary  to  be  made  out  of  a  farm,  excited 
the  pastors  to  prefer  a  change  of  field,  more,  "in  the  world"  and  in 
touch  with  outside  life,  which  pastors  called  to  inspire  others  to  activity, 
need  more  than  other  men. 

The  Dividing  Creek  church,  even  though  isolated,  has  done  much 
for  the  denomination  in  the  state.  Its  pastors  have  included  some  of 
our  foremost  men.  They  number  in  all,  twenty-eight.  Five  have 
finished  their  work  in  death.  Of  these  men,  the  first  filled  the  office 
sixteen  years.  Another  more  than  twenty  years.  A  third,  eleven 
years.  These  early  Baptists  from  Cohansie,  were  of  the  original 
stamp  and  believed  it  and  were  ready  to  die  for  it.  They  built  a 
meeting  house  and  bought  a  parsonage  farm  and  put  buildings  on  it 
before  the  church  was  organized.  Expansion  was  characteristic  of 
them.  Three  churches  were  colonized  from  Dividing  Creek,  Tuckahoe, 
1771;  Newport,  1855,  where  a  house  of  worship  had  been  built  pre- 


164  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

viously  to  the  organization  of  the  church,  having  fifty-one  constituents 
from  Dividing  Creek  church;  Port  Norris,  with  sixty-three  constituents 
from  the  mother  church.  Tuckahoc  has  given  life  to  three  churches, 
West  Creek,  Pt.  Ehzabeth  and  First  Millville  and  the  last  to  North 
Millville.  Ten  Imndrcd  and  fifty-six  converts  liave  been  baptized 
into  the  church. 

Three  meeting-houses  have  been  built  for  Dividing  Creek  church 
The  first  built  before  1761,  burned  in  1770.  The  second  built  after 
the  first  was  burned  in  1771  and  was  burned  in  1821.  A  third  was 
dedicated  in  1823  and  was  enlarged  and  improved  in  1860.  Three 
parsonages  have  been  in  use.  The  first  before  1761,  which  was  sold 
and  one  built  in  1850  and  a  better  one  in  1892.  Such  are  the  known 
fruits  of  the  six  men  and  sLx  women  who  planted  Dividing  Creek 
church,  which  has  yielded  a  glorious  harvest.  Had  they  been  men 
and  women  without  convictions  of  Bible  truth  and  who  dared  maintain 
them  with  life,  could  such  results  have  come  from  their  Avorks? 

Two  Baptist  churches  in  New  Jersey  have  been  named  Tuckahoe, 
one  in  1771.  Originally  all  of  the  country  east  of  Dividing  Creek  was 
included  in  the  field  of  the  Dividing  Creek  church.  The  Baptists 
at  Tuckahoe  were  members  of  Dividing  Creek  church.  Morgan 
Edwards  states  that  "James  Hubbard  gave  the  ground  on  which  the 
first  house  was  built.  His  deed  is  dated  May  15th,  1750,  The  house 
of  worship  was  built  in  1751.  In  1790,  the  people,  on  account  of 
disrepair,  were  planning  to  build  a  new  one.  Alderman  Benezct 
promised  to  "give  them  land,  timber,  glass  and  nails."  The  house 
was  built.  The  church,  also,  used  an  old  vacant  meeting  house  at 
May's  Landing,  twelve  miles  distant."  Mr.  Edwards  adds:  '.'When 
the  Gospel  began  to  be  preached  at  Dividing  Creek  bj'  Nathaniel 
Jenkins,  several  from  these  parts  repaired  there  and  received  serious 
impressions.  Mr.  Jenkins  was  iuA-ited  to  preach  among  them.  He 
did  so,  notwithstanding  his  age  and  Maurice  river  stood  in  his  way.  He 
baptized  some. 

Mr.  Sheppard  of  Salem  visited  them  and  baptized  others.  Mr. 
Kelsay  of  Cohansie  preached  there  and  baptized  and  a  church  was 
organized  in  1771.  They  had  a  large  parsonage  farm  and  dwelling 
on  it.  Their  pastors  were,  James  Sutton,  he  was  a  constituent  of  the 
church  and  ministered  from  1771-2;  Mr.  Lock  was  bred  a  Presbyterian, 
but  wa^  ordained  a  Baptist  minister  in  July  1773  and  resigned  in  1779. 
In  August,  1792,  twenty-nine  members  were  dismissed  to  constitute 
the  West  Creek  Baptist  church.  The  old  Tuckahoe  church  never 
recovered  from  this  depletion.  It  was  disbanded  in  1834.  The  W^est 
Creek  church  of  1792  died  from  a  like  cause. 


DIVIDING  CREEK  165 

This  clipping  is  from  an  old  newspaper: 

"Some  time  ago,  Mr.  Springer,  Sr.,  when  upon  a  trip  to  Tuckahoe, 
sent  me  the  names  of  these  two  pastors  of  the  church,  data  which  he 
collected  from  the  old  graveyard  in  Tuckahoe.  There  lie  buried  the 
Rev.  Isaac  Bonnell,  who  died  July  25th,  1794,  aged  64  years,  as  well 
as  the  Rev.  Peter  Groom,  who  departed  this  life  January  16th,  1807,  aged 
56  years.  The  next  pastor,  says  Mr.  Springer,  was  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Brooks,  and  then  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jayne,  father  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  David 
Jayne,  of  Philadelphia,  and  grandfather  of  Dr.  Horace  Jayne, 
dean  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  (Collegiate  department). 
Revs.  Jayne  and  Brooks  both  died  and  were  buried  in  the  Baptist 
cemetery  at  Dividing  Creek,  where  the  latter  was  pastor  for  23  years." 

Two  Baptist  churches  in  South  Jersey  have  been  named  "West 
Creek."  The  oldest  of  these  was  located  in  Cumberland  county,  near 
the  northwest  boundary  of  Cape  May  county.  Dr.  T.  T.  Price,  of 
Tuckerton  writes  of  the  church  constituted  in  1792:  "The  meeting 
liouse  of  the  church  stood  in  the  woods  two  or  three  miles  from  West 
Creek,  adding  Port  Elizabeth  in  Cumberland  county  or  "Dennisvillc," 
would,"  I  think,  "have  better  accommodated  the  community  than 
the  West  Creek  church  edifice."  Knowing  the  location  of  their  house 
of  worship  it  is  a  wonder  that  the  church  survived  so  long. 

Tuckahoe  church  was  its  origin.  Eight  pastors  served  the  old 
church  and  forty-six  were  baptized  into  its  fellowship.  Rev.  I.  Bon- 
nell, pastor  of  Tuckahoe  was  also  pastor  at  West  Creek  till  near  his 
l:i.st  illness  and  death  in  1794.  Rev.  P.  Groom  followed  and  was 
pastor  till  1805,  eleven  years.  Mr.  Brooks  was  ordained  in  1809  and 
served  seven  years.  Mr.  E.  Jayne  succeeded  and  was  ordained  pastor 
.serving  four  years.  Also,  J.  P.  Thompson  and  Rev.  Mr.  Pollard  served  the 
church.  Eliel  Joslin  was  pastor  and  a  bad  man.  He  did  his  utmost 
to  destroy  the  church.  Rev.  I.  M.  Church  came  next.  Mr.  Church 
was  a  man  of  positive  ideas  and  had  opposition;  was  locked  out  of  the 
meeting  house.  Under  his  wise  and  equable  administration,  the 
trouble  ceased  and  those  who  had  warred  on  him,  returned  to  the 
church  and  were  his  best  friends.  Pastor  Church  resigned  in  1841, 
imd  removed  to  Northfield.  In  1810,  Pastor  Brooks  and  some  of  the 
efficient  members  were  dismissed  and  constituted  the  Port  Elizabeth 
church.  Finally  the  West  Creek  church  disbanded  in  1857.  (West 
New  Jersey  Association,  page  9,  item  53;  1857).  But  it  lives  in  its 
progeny;  Millville  first  and  North. 

Port  Elizabeth  to  which  West  Creek  church  gave  life  and  its  life 
was  constituted  in  1810.  The  town  is  on  Maurice  river,  a  short  dis- 
tance below  Millville.     In  West  New  Jersey  Association,  1843,  page  13, 


166  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

digest,  the  church  says:  "They  have  united  with  others  to  form  Mill- 
ville  church."  disbanding  in  1843.  An  item  of  interest  is:  that  Deacon 
Wynn,  grandfather  of  Pastor  Wynn  of  finst  church,  Camden,  was  a 
deacon  of  West  Creek  church;  a  constituent  and  deacon  of  Port 
Elizabeth  church;  if  living  when  First  Millville  was  constituted, 
was  constituent  of  that  church.  Deacon  Isaac  Wynn,was  thus  a  deacon 
of  West  Creek,  a  constituent  of  Port  Elizabeth  and  a  deacon  of  the 
church;  a  constituent  and  deacon  of  First  Millville.  He  died  in  1849. 
His  wife  was  Rebecca  Price,  daughter  of  Dr.  Price's  great  grandfather, 
Capt.  William  Price,  a  constituent  of  Pt.  Elizabteh.  Rev.  I.  C.  Wynn 
was  a  grandson  of  Deacon  Isaac  Wynn  of  West  Creek,  Pt.  Elizabeth 
and  Millville. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  Association  for  1837, 
page  2,  item  21,  the  report  of  the  committee  on  the  letters  from  the 
churches  says:  "Relative  to  the  inquiry  of  the  Port  Elizabeth  church, 
Cumberland  county,  as  to  changing  its  name;  '^ There  can  he  no  objection 
to  altering  its  name  to  that  of  Millville  church."  Port  Elizabeth  church 
did  not  alter  its  name,  but  lived  as  it  was  until  December  29th,  1842, 
when  it  disbanded  and  Millville  appeared  in  the  list  of  the  churches 
reporting  to  the  association  in  1843.  On  page  13,  minutes  of  1843, 
digest  of  Port  EUzabeth  saj's:  "That  being  very  small  they  have 
united  with  others  forming  the  Baptist  church  of  Millville.  How 
many  constituents  Millville  had  is  quite  uncertain.  If  fourteen,  ten 
were  from  Port  Elizabeth  and  four  from  Cedarville.  "By  request  of 
Port  Elizabeth  church,  a  council  met  in  a  school  room  in  Millville, 
December  29th,  1842,  to  consider  the  propriety  of  constituting  the 
Baptists  there  as  the  first  Baptist  church  at  Millville." 

Deacon  Isaac  Wynn,  grandfather  of  Rev.  I.  C.  Wynn,  for  years 
pastor  of  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Camden,  "in  behalf  of  Port  Eliza- 
beth church  requested  for  himself  and  twelve  others  to  be  constituted 
into  a  new  church  of  Millville.  This  was  the  action  of  the  Port  Elizabeth 
church,  taken  upon  the  suggestion  of  the  Association  in  1837.  The 
four  members  from  Cedarville  concurred  in  this  action. 

In  June  1843,  Rev.  H.  Wescott  was  called  to  preach  to  the  new 
church  for  six  months.  He  remained  one  year.  Within  this  time  the 
house  of  worship  was  built  and  dedicated.  It  was  a  good  thing  for 
Millville  to  have  had  Mr.  Wescott.  His  family  was  an  "old  family 
and  had  financial  substance.  He  was  followed  by  Ephraim  Sheppard, 
a  brother-in-law,  also  of  an  "old  family"  and  who  had  ample  financial 
resources.  He  settled  as  pastor  in  December  1844.  Mr.  Sheppard 
was  ordained  in  April  1845,  and  remained  until  January  1847.  Rev. 
William  Maul  succeeded  immediately  being  pastor  from  January  1st, 


CEDARVILLE,  MILLVILLE  AND  NEWPORT  1G7 

1847,  to  52.  In  connection  with  Cedarville,  Rev.  J.  Todd  "supplied" 
for  nine  months.  Rev.  William  Smith  ministered  as  pastor  from  1854 
to  58.  J.  Curran  called  for  one  year,  in  1858,  stayed  until  1860.  H.  W. 
Webber  was  pastor  1862-64.  William  Humpstone  was  pastor  1865-67. 
Others  were  D.  H.  Burdock,  1869-70.  The  meeting  house  was  rebuilt 
at  a  large  cost  in  1871.  H.  Wheat  was  pastor  1871-73;  E.  L.  Stager, 
1873-78;  H.  C.  Applegarth,  1878-79.  At  this  time  a  parsonage  was 
built.  C.  A.  Mott,  1880-85.  In  this  term  the  church  edifice  was 
greatly  improved.  H.  G.  James,  1885-87;  E.  B.  Morris,  1888-90; 
G.  H.Button,  1890-95. 

Mr.  Button  baptized  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  in  less  than 'five 
years.  H.  W.  Barrass,  1895-6;  A.  H.  Sembower,  1896-1900.  First 
Millville  has  had  eighteen  pastors.  Two  were  joint  pastors  with 
Cedarville.  One  member  has  been  licensed  to  preach.  In  1896, 
forty-seven  members,  including  the  pastor,  constituted  the  North 
Baptist  church  of  Millville.  The  town  had  grown  to  be  a  large  one 
and  there  was  ample  room  for  a  second  church.  With  the  coming 
of  Pastor  Sembower,  the  old  meeting  house  often  repaired,  gave  place 
to  one  larger  and  better  suited  in  conveniences  and  appliances  to  the 
various  departments  of  church  life  and  work. 

On  the  tenth  day  of  March  1896,  forty-seven  members  of  the 
first  Baptist  church  of  Millville  were  dismissed  to  organize  the  North 
Millville  Baptist  church.  Port  Elizabeth  and  Millville  are  both  on 
the  Maurice  river,  not  far  apart.  Port  Elizabeth  being  south  of  Mill- 
ville. For  the  convenience  of  its  worshippers,  the  church  edifice  of 
the  first  church  was  located  at  the  nearer  access  to  their  homes  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  town,  explaining  why  the  younger  body  is  desig- 
nated, North  Millville.  The  pastor  of  the  first  church  went  with  the 
colony.  Mr.  Barrass  is  now  (1900)  pastor  of  the  North  Millville  Baptist 
church.  Millville  is  grown  to  be  a  large  town  and  there  is  ample  room 
for  the  two  churches  and  for  their  growth  into  influential  bodies.  A 
house  of  worship  was  begun  to  be  l)uilt  immediately  and  was  com- 
pleted and  occupied.  The  concord  and  enterprise  of  Millville  Baptists 
justify  the  assurance  that  the  churches  will  be  a  continuous  blessing 
to  the  community  in  the  Divine  hand  to  accomplish  its  mission  of 
salvation  to  perishing  men. 

Newport  is  in  Cumberland  county.  It  was  an  out  station  of 
Dividing  Creek  church  long  before  the  constitution  of  the  Newport 
Baptist  church.  A  gift  of  ground  for  a  meeting  house  by  Brother 
Seth  Page  in  1854,  led  to  its  erection  in  that  year.  Early  in  1855, 
Rev.  U.  Coffman,  pastor  of  Dividing  Creek  church  began  special 
meetings  in  the  new  house  at  Newport.     Many  converts  were  added  to 


leS  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

the  church  and  in  March  1855,  fifty-one  were  dismissed  from  Dividing 
Creek  church,  to  establish  a  Baptist  church  at  Newport. 
Rev.  G.  Sleeper  had  aided  Pastor  Coffman  in  his  special 
meetings  and  Mr.  ColTman,  having  died,  Mr.  Sleeper  was 
called  to  be  pastor  of  both  churches.  The  labors  of  Mr.  Sleeper  were 
prosperous,  continuing  four  years.  Rev.  H.  W.  Webber  followed 
from  1859  to  1862.  Scores  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism. 
His  ministry  was  a  harvest  of  continuous  blessing. 

In  the  third  year,  however,  of  his  pastoral  care,  Mr.  Webber 
limited  himself  to  Newport  as  pastor.  Again,  under  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  B.  Jones,  the  churches  united  under  one  pastor.  The  Civil  War 
was  in  progress  and  the  thoughts  of  the  people  were  absorj^ed  in  the 
national  strife.  Pastor  Jones  resigned  at  the  end  of  the  year.  A 
vacancy  in  the  pastorate  occurred  for  two  years.  Rev.  L.  W.  Wheeler 
was  called  and  began  his  charge  of  both  churches  in  May  1866,  resigning 
in  1869.  Other  pastors  were,  J.  H.  Hyatt,  1869;  D.  M.  Young,  ordained 
1871.  H.  B.  Raybold,  1874-76,  to  both  churches,  afterward  only  to 
Dividing  Creek.  1876,  W.  A.  Durfee  held  a  joint  pastorate  of  Newport 
and  Cedarville.  but  continued  at  Newport  until  1878.  M.  M.  Finch, 
1879-84,  pastor  of  Dividing  Creek  and  Newport.  W.  Cattell  at  both 
churches,  1884-86;  Newport  in  1889  called  F.  S.  S.  Boothe  and  he 
was  ordained  in  February  1890.  Within  some  time,  a  parsonage  had 
been  bought  at  Newport  and  that  church  was  less  dependent  upon 
Dividing  Creek.  Mr.  Boothe  closed  his  pastorate  in  March  1891.  A. 
Cauldwell,  1892;  Mr.  Paul  Weithass  who  was  ordained  1893-95;  G.  I. 
Meredith,  1895-1900;  C.  F.  Hahn  then  settled.  There  have  been 
fifteen  pastors.  Eight  have  been  joint  pastors  with  Dividing  Creek 
or  other  nearby  churches.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  increase  of  weak  churches 
is  wise.  With  a  Sunday  school,  devotional  meetings  and  the  maternal 
care  of  the  mother  church  of  its  stations,  it  is  judged  that  the  Kingdom 
of  God  would  be  enlarged  more  rapidly. 

Many  Baptists  lived  at  and  near  Port  Norris,  long  before  a  Baptist 
church  was  formed  there.  For  years  a  Sunday  school  house  had  been 
maintained  by  them  in  a  village  near  to  where  Port  Norris  sprang  up. 
A  building  for  the  Sunday  school  had  been  built  and  was  dedicated 
to  religious  uses  on  January  1st,  1857,  twenty-four  years  before  a 
Baptist  church  was  constituted.  Soon  after,  Rev.  George  Sleeper, 
pastor  of  Dividing  Creek  Baptist  church  held  a  series  of  meetings  in 
the  house  at  Port  Norris  and  many  converts  were  baptized  into  the 
church  of  which  he  was  pastor.     Deacon  Richard  Robbins  of  Dividing 


PORT  NORRIS  169 

Creek  church  was  for  the  first  seven  years  superintendent.  Deacon 
George  Robbins,  said  to  have  been  an  "emergency  man,"  was  twice 
later  superintendent. 

A  house  of  worship  became  a  neccessity.  One  was  built.  Soon 
after  its  completion  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Within  three  years  of 
the  beginning  of  the  first,  another  was  dedicated  as  the  former  had 
l)een,  free  of  debt.  The  Bible  was  the  only  lesson  book  in  the  Sunday 
School  and  the  "Pralmist"  used  in  the  church  service,  the  only  hymn 
book  Dividing  Creek  church  pastors  often  preached  in  the  church 
houses  of  worship  at  Port  Norris  and  weekly  social  meetings  were  held 
there.  Port  Norris  Baptist  church  was  constituted  with  sixty-three 
members  dismissed  from  Dividing  Creek  church  in  April  1881.  The 
succession  of  pastors  has  been,  M.  M.  Finch,  1881-83;  A.  W.  H.  Hodder, 
1883-84;  L.  G.  Appleby,  1885-86;  J.  M.  Scott,  1887-88;  A.  B.  McCurdy, 
1888-89;  C.  F.  Hahn,  1890-91;  W.  H.  Humphries,  1891-94;  C.  P.  P. 
Fox,  1894-97;  W.  W.  Bullock,  1897-1900. 

Mr.  Hodder  was  a  student  and  returned  to  his  studies  at  the  end 
of  a  year.  Mr.  Appleby's  pastorate  was  signalized  by  a  special  work 
of  grace  and  an  addition  by  baptism  of  nearly  three  score  converts. 
His  resignation  was  accepted  despite  the  choice  of  the  church  for  him 
to  remain.  In  the  interval  of  the  pastorates  of  Mr.  Scott  and  of  Mr. 
McCurdy,  a  parsonage  was  built  and  the  meeting  house  improved. 
In  the  charge  of  Mr.  Humphries,  the  debt  incurred  for  the  parsonage 
was  paid  and  many  were  baptized.  While  Mr.  Fox  was  pastor,  the 
meeting  house  was  virtually  rebuilt.  Pastor  Bullock  has  had  prosperity 
in  all  church  lines  of  work  and  life.  Port  Norris  has  had  nine  pastors. 
Three  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use,  two  of  which  were  burned. 
The  courage  of  the  people  and  their  readiness  to  respond  to  the  needs 
of  the  cause  of  God  is  shown  in  the  building  of  their  church  edifice  and 
the  parsonage  and  paying  them  promptly. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


PEMBERTON,  BURLINGTON,  BEVERLY  AND  FLORENCE. 


The  original  name  of  Pemberton  from  1690  to  1752  was  "Hampton 
ILanover."  The  second  name  was  "New  Mills."  The  change  to  the 
second  name  was  due  to  the  building  of  new  mills  at  the  place  in  dis- 
tinction from  older  mills  on  "Budd's  Run."  opposite  to  the  site  of 
Pemberton.  At  the  incorporation  of  the  town  in  1826  it  was  named 
Pemberton,  in  memory  of  a  citizen,  Mr.  James  Pemberton.  In  1837, 
the  old  records  of  the  church  were  destroyed  by  the  burning  of  a  building 
in  which  they  were. 

Morgan  Edwards  wrote  an  account  of  the  first  things  and  says: 
"The  house  measures  30x30,  built  in  1752  on  a  lot  of  about  two  acres, 
the  gift  of  Richard  Woolston.  His  deed  bears  date  of  April  6th,  1752. 
In  one  corner  of  the  house  is  the  pulpit,  in  the  opposite  angles  are 
the  galleries,  which  relieves  the  conveniences  of  galleries  in  small  places 
of  worship;  it  is  finished  as  usual  in  this  country  and  accommodated 
with  a  stove.  No  temporality;  nor  many  rich,  for  which  reason  the 
salary  cannot  be  above  twenty  pounds  a  year.  *  *  *  The  church 
is  in  a  widowed  state,  but  has  been  pretty  well  supplied  from  Hights- 
town,  Upper  Freehold  etc.  The  families  to  which  this  meeting  house 
is  central  are  about  eighty,  whereof  one  hundred  persons  are  baptized 
and  in  the  communion,  here  administered  once  a  quarter,  the  above 
is  the  present  state  of  New  Mills,  October  24th,  1789.     History." 

This  church  originated  about  the  year  1750.  One  Francis  Briggs 
of  Salem  (Mr.  Briggs  was  a  member  of  Cohansie)  settled  at  New  Mills 
and  invited  Baptist  ministers  to  preach  at  his  house.  The  consequence 
was,  that  some  were  converted  and  baptized;  namely,  John  and 
Elizabeth,  Estelle  and  Rachel  Briggs.  This  raised  the  expectations 
that  there  might  be  a  church  at  New  Mills,  in  hope  of  which  they  built 
a  meeting  house  and  applied  to  the  Association  (Philadelphia)  for 
ministerial  helps.     During  these  visits  others    were  baptized. 

In  the  year  1763,  Rev.  P.  P.  Van  Horn  arrived  from  Pennepek 
with  his  wife  and  family,  which  increased  the  number  of  Baptists  to 
ten  and  made  them  wish  to  have  communion  of  saints  among  them. 
Accordingly,  they  were  formed  into  a  church,  June  23rd,  1764.  Mr. 
Briggs  was  the  kind  of  Baptist,  those  Baptists  were,  who  made  us  what 
we  are  as  a  denomination.     They  believed  in  Gospel  order  and  wanted 


PEMBERTON  AND  UPPER  FREEHOLD       171 

that  and  only  that,  nor  did  they  hide  their  convictions  of  truth  and 
duty.  Baptists  are  what  they  are  numerically  and  in  influence,  be- 
cause knowing  their  mission  they  had  the  grace  and  courage  to  main- 
tain it.  Stalwart  pastors  and  stalwart  preaching  made  stalwart  Baptists 
whether  men  or  women.  Baptists  as  much  alone  as  if  they  had  compan- 
ionship of  their  faith,  answering  to  Paul's  description,  "living  Epistles," 
walking  Bibles  that  "wliose  light  cannot  be  hid."  There  is  no  estimate 
of  what  one  person  can  accomplish,  having  a  purpose  to  be  only  and 
always  on  the  side  of  God  and  His  will.  Even  though  they  numbered 
only  ten  disciples,  they  constituted  a  Baptist  church  having  all  the 
distinctiveness  which  a  Baptist  church  means  in  the  midst  of  the 
vagaries  of  error.  Ten  of  such  would  have  saved  Sodom.  Mr.  Briggs 
did  not  live  to  see  a  church  organized.     He  died  in  1763. 

Rev.  P.  P.  Van  Horn  was  a  constituent  of  the  church  and  its  first 
pastor,  retaining  his  charge  for  five  years,  and  then  returned  to  Penn- 
sylvania. He  had  a  useful  pastorate,  the  church  increasing  from  ten 
to  forty-two  members.  When  it  is  recalled  how  sparse  the  population 
was,  the  increase  is  significant  of  an  efficient  pastoral  oversight.  Three 
years  went  by  ere  Rev.  D.  Brandon  settled  as  pastor.  He  was  or- 
dained in  December  1770.  Morgan  Edwards  states  that,  "In  1772, 
a  grevious  disturbance  took  place  which  caused  one  party  to  exclude 
the  other  and  they  continued  in  this  situation  till  September  22nd, 
1778."  Mr.  Branson  was  excluded  in  June  1772.  As  Mr.  Branson 
claimed  to  be  a  Baptist  minister  in  good  standing,  the  Association 
in  1781,  warned  the  public  against  him.  When  this  trouble  was 
settled,  prosperity  returned  and  the  church  increased  in  twenty-five 
years    to    one    hundred    members. 

In  March,  1781,  David  Loughborough  was  ordained  for  the 
pastorate.  He  continued  till  April  1782.  People  are  much  the  same 
in  various  periods.  Mr.  Loughbridge  had  married  a  lady  of  the  con- 
gregation and  some  dissented  to  his  choice.  For  sixteen  years  there 
was  a  vacant  pulpit.  That  memoralile  man,  Peter  Wilson,  pastor  at 
Hightstown.  supplied  the  pulpit  for  six  or  eight  years  of  this  time,  as 
often  as  so  busy  a  man  and  one  in  great  demand  could.  As  ever  and 
everywhere  in  his  ministry  Mr.  Wilson  gathered  many  converts  into 
the  church.  From  1789  to  1793,  Rev.  Joseph  Stevens  supplied  both 
Pemberton  and  Upper  Freehold  churches  and  from  1793  -1798  two 
licentiates  of  Pemberton,  Benjamin  Hedger  and  Isaac  Carlisle  were 
ordained  at  New  Mills  and  ministered  till  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Magowan.  This  was  not  a  period  of  destitution  nor  of  barrenness. 
In  each  year  with  only  one  exception  there  were  additions  by  baptism, 
in  all  one  hundred  and  ten.      Of  these,  Mr.  Wilson  baptized  fifty-five. 


172  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

wliilc  supplying  Pemberton.  Alexander  Magowan  was  much  the 
same  stamp  of  man  as  Mr.  Wilson,  who  had  baptized  him  into  the 
Hightstown  church,  Mr.  Magowan  being  a  Presbyterian  minister. 
(See  Hightstown  history  for  account  of  Mr.  Magowan's  becoming  a 
Baptist.)  Hightstown  church  licensed  Mr.  Magowan  and  he  became 
a  Baptist  minister.  Mr.  Magowan  was  pastor  at  Pemberton  from 
1798  to  1806.  In  that  time  he  baptized  one  hundred  and  sixteen. 
Part  of  this  time  he  alternated  between  Pemberton  and  Mount  Holly. 

In  1794,  the  trustees  of  Pemberton  held  for  Burlington  Baptists 
the  old  "Friends"  meeting  house  in  Burlington.  Mr.  Magowan  preach- 
ed at  Burlington  and  at  Mount  Holly.  Pemberton  church  must  have 
had  men  of  substance,  who  cared  for  neighboring  localities.  A  house 
of  worship  was  built  at  Mount  Holly  in  1800.  Mr.  Magowan  was  a 
man  of  superior  ability  and  of  great  activity  in  mission  work.  It  has 
been  said  of  him:  "that  he  was  devoted  and  earnest  and  stood  staunch- 
ly for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  Saints,"  In  the  minutes  of  the 
New  Jersey  Association  of  1815,  page  7,  in  a  prefix  written  by  the 
clerk  for  the  corresponding  letter  of  the  Association,  it  is  said;  that 
in  1814,  Mr.  Magowan  was  appointed  to  write  the  corresponding  letter. 
Unwilling  to  leave  the  duty  unaccomplished,  he  wrote  the  letter  and 
left  it  with  a  brother  to  be  presented  for  him,  having  decided  to  go  to 
Ohio  before  the  next  session  of  the  Association.  "About  one  hundred 
miles  from  his  destination,  the  wagon  was  overturned  and  Mr.  Magowan 
fatally  injured  and  died  a  few  hours  after,  leaving  his  widow  and  four 
children  in  the  wilderness."  Though  dead,  his  appointment  was  kept. 
While  pastor  at  Pemberton  in  1801 ,  a  colony  was  dismissed  to  constitute 
a  Baptist  church  in  Mount  Holly,  where  from  1795,  three  years  before 
becoming  pastor  at  Pemberton,  he  sustained  the  mission  at  Mount 
Holly,  which  Peter  Wilson  of  Hightstown  had  begun  there. 

In  1794,  Mr.  Carlisle  is  named  in  the  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia 
Association  as  a  hcentiate  of  Pemberton  church.  He  is  published  as 
ordained  in  1805.  For  five  years,  from  1796,  he  was  a  delegate  to  that 
Association  from  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia.  But, 
according  to  the  minutes  of  the  New  Jersey  Association,  Mr.  Carlisle 
was  at  Pemberton  from  1811  to  1814.  A  statement  in  some  records 
that  Mr.  Carlisle  died  in  February,  1815  is  a  mistake.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  New  Jersey  Association  in  September  1815.  Rev.  I. 
Stratton  followed  at  Pemberton  and  was  ordained  in  February  1814. 
But  death  cut  short  his  ministry  on  June  7th,  1816.  Mr.  Stratton 
was  highly  e.steemed  and  bright  hopes  were  blighted  by  his  death. 

In  1810,  Rev.  John  Rogers  settled  as  pastor.  He  was  the  son 
of  John  Rogers  and  was  a  native  of  North  Ireland.     A  descendant  of 


PEMBERTON  AND  SCOTCH  PLAINS  173 

the  martyr  John  Rogers,  and  inherited  the  stamina  of  character  and 
conscientious  conviction  of  his  great  ancestor.  AlUed  in  family  and 
in  training  with  the  Presbyterian  church,  he  was  pastor  of  a  staiuich 
Presbyterian  churcli  in  his  native  town,  amid  kindred  and  loved  ones 
and  there  in  the  midst  of  these  tremendous  influences,  the  martyr, 
John  Rogers,  lived  anew;  the  stake  of  contempt  and  the  cross  of  sac- 
rifice in  the  surrender  of  his  old  convictions  and  of  his  family  and 
dearest  friends  was  the  cost  of  becoming  a  Baptist.  He  told  his  church 
of  his  change  of  views  and  they  trusted  him  and  provided  exchanges 
for  him  on  ordinance  days.  Some  members  of  his  church  became 
Baptists.  Others  accused  him  of  sowing  discord.  Then  he  resigned 
and  came  to  America. 

At  a  meeting  of  a  Baptist  Association,  he  met  a  delegation  of  the 
Pemberton  church  looking  for  a  pastor.  He  was  invited  to  visit  Pem- 
berton  and  began  his  ministry  in  America  there.  When  twelve  years 
had  passed,  Scotch  Plains  church  coveted  his  labors  as  pastor.  In 
the  record  of  that  body,  an  account  of  his  usefulness  appears.  Com- 
paratively few  have  been  more  beloved  than  John  Rogers.  Every 
good  cause  had  a  place  in  his  heart.  The  antinomian  element,  when 
he  met  it  was  remoulded  into  earnest,  active  Christian  life.  State 
Missions,  Home  Missions,  Foreign  Missions  and  any  instrumentality 
to  save  the  lost  and  build  up  the  Kingdom  of  God,  had  in  him  a  helper. 
At  the  close  of  his  ministry  in  Pemberton,  for  about  two  years  a  licen- 
tiate of  the  church,  Mr.  Samuel  Harvey  "supplied"  the  church  till  Mr. 
C.  W.  Mulford  accepted  its  call  and  Mr.  Mulford  was  ordained  to  be  its 
pastor  in  November  27th,  1830  to  1835. 

The  church  seems  to  have  had  a  choice  of  pastors  of  the  first 
Baptist  church  in  Philadelphia.  Rev.  Henry  Holcombe,  the  foremost 
man  of  his  day  preached  at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Stratton  and  Rev. 
W.  T.  Brantly,  Sr.,  preached  at  that  of  Mr.  Mulford.  Mr.  Mulford 
was  unlike  Mr.  Rogers,  both  as  a  preacher  and  in  social  life.  Mr. 
Rogers  was  an  undemonstrative,  educated  and  of  high  toned  Cal- 
vinistic  views,  and  in  social  life,  unassuming  and  retiring.  One  was 
sure  of  being  on  the  right  side  if  agreeing  with  him.  Mr.  Mulford 
was  young,  had  the  wisdom  of  youth;  if  in  riding  he  did  not  "hold  the 
lines,"  he  was  beside  the  driver  and  advised  as  to  the  best  road.  His 
preaching  was  Calvinistic  and  earnest,  impressing  his  hearers  that  he 
believed  what  he  said  and  that  they  must  believe  it  and  now.  Mr. 
Mulford  closed  his  pastorate  at  Pemberton  after  five  years,  having 
had  a  happj'  and  useful  service.  Under  his  ministr}-,  one  hundred 
and  seventy  three  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism. 

Mr.  Mulford  was  always  and  everywhere,  "at  the  front"  on  the 


174  NEW  JERSEY  BAl'TIST  HISTORY 

temperance  question.  Whatever  their  social,  pohtical  or  religious 
relations  and  alliances  of  opponents,  made  to  him  any  difference.  Mr. 
Mulford  was  the  compeer  of  Samuel  Aaron  in  the  intensity  of  his  zeal 
for  total  abstinence  from  intoxicants.  Good  people  of  all  denominations 
were  agreed  in  the  advocacy  of  temperance,  as  they  have  not  been 
since.  Political  parties  had  great  respect  to  the  temperance  element 
in  their  nominations  for  office  in  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Mulford  was  laid 
aside  in  the  vigor  of  his  years  by  a  bronchial  affection,  with  which 
he  died,  only  fifty-nine  years  old.  While  pastor  at  Pemberton,  Vincent- 
towii  church  was  constituted  in  1834. 

Rev.  Timothy  Jackson  was  pastor  for  two  years,  from  1836  and 
had  a  harvest  of  converts  in  his  charge.  Rev.  J.  G.  Collom  settled  as 
pastor  in  July  1839,  remaining  till  March  1846.  While  pastor,  the 
house  of  worship  "on  the  hill"  was  an  inconvenience  on  account  of 
its  distance  from  the  village,  but  Deacon  Swain  giving  a  lot  in  town, 
a  chapel  was  built  on  it  for  social  meetings  and  other  uses.  Three 
members  were  licensed  to  preach  in  Mr.  Collom's  charge.  Mr.  Collom 
having  removed.  Rev.  D.  S.  Parmelle  entered  the  pastorate  in  July, 
1846,  continuing  till  June  1851,  and  was  imbedded  in  the  affections 
of  his  people. 

After  Mr.  Parmelee,  Rev.  L.  C.  Stevens  settled  for  a  few  months, 
remo-v^ing  on  account  of  the  health  of  Mrs.  Stevens,  who  died  within 
a  short  time.  On  February  17th,  1853,  Mr.  S.  M.  Shute  was  ordained 
but  in  1856,  accepted  a  call  to  Alexandria,  Va.  A  parsonage  was 
bought  in  the  first  year  of  his  coming.  The  same  year  in  which  Mr. 
Shute  removed.  Rev.  Thomas  Goodwin  became  pastor,  holding  the 
office  till  June  1859.  The  pastoral  office  was  occupied  by  Rev.  L.  G. 
Beck  on  September  1st,  1859,  was  held  by  him  until  July  1864.  Meas- 
ures had  been  taken  in  1860,  to  build  a  church  edifice  in  a  more  central 
place  which  being  completed,  was  dedicated  in  September  1861.  The 
entire  outlay  for  grounds,  sheds  and  house  of  worship  was  paid  on  the 
completion  of  the  meeting  house.  Mr.  Beck's  settlement  at  Pem- 
berton proved  wise.  The  centennial  year  1864,  occurred  while  he 
was  pastor. 

Comparatively  few  men  have  the  gift  and  the  patience  to  gather 
the  facts  of  an  hundred  years,  sifting  tradition  from  fact,  discriminate 
and  adjust  the  real  from  the  unreal,  in  the  memories  of  the  aged  and 
so  compile  historical  details,  that  they  commend  themselves  to  us, 
as  substantially  true.  Since  the  early  statements  of  Morgan  Edwards, 
fire  having  destroyed  the  church  records,  we  owe  to  the  research, 
intelligence  and  patience  of  Pastor  Beck,  another  token  of  the  Provi- 
dence of  his  pastorate.     The  meeting  house  had  been  built  on  a  lot 


MOUNT  HOLLY,  VINCENTOWX  AND  COLUMBUS       175 

distant  from  the  central  part  of  the  town.  The  Pcmberton  church 
had  Uved  and  suffered  this  disadvantage  for  an  hundred  years,  till 
now,  when  through  Mr.  Beck,  a  spacious  house  of  worship  was  located 
in  the  centre  of  the  town. 

A  pastor  ought  not  to  be  judged  by  the  numbers  added  to  the 
church  or  by  the  large  congregations  waiting  on  his  ministry.  The 
better  evidence  of  his  usefullness  is  putting  the  church  into  a  position 
of  influence  and  equipping  it  with  power  to  wield  for  God  and  humanity, 
making  it  a  channel  of  blessing  and  salvation  for  all  time.  Mr.  Beck 
was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Parks  for  about  four  years  and  Mr.  Parks 
by  Rev.  J.  W.  Wilmarth  who  was  pastor  eight  years. 

In  September  1878,  Rev.  J.  C.  Buchanan  entered  the  pastorate 
and  is  now  (1900)  pastor,  already  more  than  twenty-two  years.  Mr. 
Buchanan's  pastorate  in  duration  at  Pemberton  is  exceptional.  Pastor 
Rogers  alone  approaches  it.  The  church  has  had  twenty-two  pastors, 
including  Mr.  Wilson's  ministry  of  six  or  eight  years  and  the  two  j'cars 
in  which  one  of  its  licentiates  preached.  Several  houses  of  worship 
have  been  built  or  provided.  One,  the  old  "Friends"  meeting  house 
at  Burlington,  which  may  have  been  bought  by  the  generous  aid  of 
Pemberton  church  in  1794,  the  property  being  held  by  the  trustees 
of  Pemberton  church  for  the  uses  of  Burlington  Baptists.  In  about 
1800,  a  house  was  built  for  the  mission  at  Mount  Holly. 

A  meeting  house  was  built  at  Vincentown  and  another  at  Columbus 
under  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  C.  W.  MuKord.  These  were  four  church 
edifices.  For  itself,  a  meeting  house  was  built  in  1752  and  afterwards 
moved  and  remodelled  into  a  parsonage,  which  was  burned  in  1837. 
In  1823,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  to  take  the  place  of  that  erected 
in  1752.  For  the  convenience  of  the  village,  a  chapel  was  put  up  in 
town  for  Sunda)'  school  and  social  meeting  uses.  A  house  of  worsliip 
was  built  in  Pemberton  in  1860-1.  Thus,  besides  four  outside  missions, 
four  other  places  of  worship  were  built  for  itself  at  home.  In  all,  eight 
sanctuaries;  additional  to  these,  two  parsonages  were  erected.  At 
least  nine  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach,  one  of  whom,  has 
been  pastor  of  the  church  and  others  "supplies"  when  Pemberton 
has  been  destitute  of  a  pastor  and  efficient  in  sustaining  mission 
stations. 

Two  sons  of  Deacon  Swain,  Samuel  and  Thomas,  have  filled  high 
positions  in  New  Jersey  and  abroad.  Job  Gaskill  also,  was  an  eminent- 
ly useful  man.  His  private  means  enabled  him  to  serve  young  and 
feeble  churches,  unable  to  sustain  a  pastor.  These  and  others  unnamed, 
reflected  credit  on  the  pastors  who  had  developed  their  gifts  and 
upon  the  church    that    had    sent   them  out.      Pemberton   has  been 


176  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

a  fruitful  church.  Its  pastors  preached  in  Burlington.  Mount 
Holly  waa  its  mission.  So  too,  Vincentown  and  Columbus. 
From  twenty  to  forty  churches  may  claim  its  ancestry. 
Fifty-two  members  were  dismissed  to  form  Mount  Holly  church  in 
1801,  twenty-nine  to  constitute  Vincentown  church  and  nineteen 
to  establish   Columbus  church. 

The  antecedent  record  of  the  pastors  of  Pembcrton  is  of  intense 
interest.  Mr.  Van  Horn  was  a  Lutheran,  but  the  New  Testament 
set  him  free  and  made  him  a  Baptist.  Mr.  Stephens  was  an  Episco- 
palian, but  the  Scriptures  made  him  a  Baptist.  Benjamin  Hedger, 
a  licentiate,  was  a  Presbyterian;  the  Gospel  turned  his  feet  into  a 
Baptist  church.  Mr.  Magowan  was  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  church 
and  by  Bible  study  was  led  into  truth  and  into  a  Baptist  church. 
John  Rogers,  like  to  Mr.  Magowan,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  was  trained 
in  their  schools  for  the  ministry  and  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  church, 
of  which  his  father  had  been  pastor  and  living  in  his  native  place,  amid 
his  kindred,  his  ideas  of  the  church  and  of  the  ordinances  were  changed, 
by  the  "Baptist  chapters,"  as  the  Methodist  minister  said,  and  he 
united  with  a  Baptist  church.  D.  S.  Parmelee  was  a  Congregationalist. 
The  Bible  led  him  to  ask  his  pastor  to  "bury  him  in  baptism."  His 
prejudice  against  "close  communion"  led  him  to  join  a  congregational 
church.  Further  study  of  the  Divine  Word  convinced  him  that  the 
Baptists  were  as  scripturally  right  on  the  communion  question  as  on 
baptism  and  he  joined  a  Baptist  church.  While  at  Pemberton  he 
published  a  small  volume  on  "Positive  Law;  its  Distinction  From  Moral 
Law."  Mr.  Goodwin  had  been  an  Episcopalean,  but  the  Scriptures 
made  him  a  Baptist. 

The  pastors  were  about  equally  useful  in  winning  converts  and  in 
promoting  the  general  welfare  of  the  church.  Its  membership  had 
spiritual  vitality.  Life  was  not  derived  from  the  pastors  or  from  his 
methods.  Thus  when  he  removed  he  did  not  take  with  him,  that 
which  had  made  his  ministry  a  blessing,  nor  when  a  new  pastor  came, 
the  same  source  of  blessing  was  in.  the  church  to  make  his  oversight 
successful.  With  the  single  exception  of  a  bad  man,  who  imposed 
himself  on  the  church,  the  pastors  have  been  men  of  peace.  Nine 
hundred  and  fifty-eight  have  been  baptized  into  the  church  up  to 
1900. 

Few  changes  in  the  economy  of  our  churches  have  been  so  marked 
as  that  concerning  women.  At  the  session  of  the  West  New  Jersey 
Association,  a  report  on  the  woman  question  in  reply  to  the  query: 
"Ought  women  delegates  be  admitted  to  be  members  of  the  Asso- 
ciation?"   (Minutes  of  1877,  page  23,   item  55.)     Why  this  matter 


PEMBERTON  177 

is  alluded  to,  in  connection  with  Pemberton  is:  that  Rev.  J.  W. 
Wilmarth  waa  chairman  of  the  committee  to  which  the  matter  was 
referred  and  also  was  pastor  of  the  Pemberton  church  at  that  time. 
In  1878,  page  20,  is  the  report  of  the  committee  and  action  on  it,  was 
deferred  to  the  next  year.  Report:  "We  answer  in  the  negative  for 
the  following  reasons:"  I.  Such  a  practice  is  inconsistent  with  the 
plain  teachings  of  the  New  Testament.  II.  Such  a  practice  is  contrary 
to  the  universal  belief  and  practice  of  the  church.  III.  Such  a  custom 
is  contrary  to  Baptist  usage.  IV.  Such  a  practice  would  have  a  dan- 
gerous tendency.  V.  Such  an  innovation  would  be  an  act  of  injustice 
to  our  female  members.  VI.  Such  a  change  would  entail  serious 
practical  inconveniences.  VII.  Finally,  we  can  discover  no  good  to 
be  accomplished  by  the  proposed  change."  All  of  which  was  main- 
tained in  six  closely  printed  pages.  It  is  due  to  the  Association  that 
the  resolutions  of  the  committee,  in  perfect  accord  with  the  seven  above 
mentioned  points,  were  never  after  heard  of  and  next  year,  1879, 
women  delegates  were  enrolled.  In  1900,  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
delegates,  fifty-five  were  women.  It  is  also  due  to  the  women  to  say 
that  no  such  trouble  has  ever  appeared  as  the  committee  conjured  up 
and  warned  us  of. 

Contrasted  with  this  report,  was  the  action  of  the  Philadelphia 
Association  in  1746,  page  53.  (A.  B.  Publishing  Society,  Edition 
1746,  page  53.)  The  question  then  was:  whether  women  may  or  ought 
to  have  their  votes  in  the  church,  in  such  matters  as  the  church  shall 
agree  to  be  decided  by  votes?  They  answer:  "Alluding  to  I  Cor.  14:34, 
35  vs.  and  other  parallel  texts,  they  add:  "If  then  the  silence  enjoined 
on  women  be  taken  so  absolute  as  they  must  keep  entire  silence  in 
all  respects,  whatever;  yet  notwithstanding,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  they  may 
have  as  members  of  the  body  of  the  church  liberty  to  give  a  mute 
voice  by  standing  or  lifting  up  of  the  hands — (vote)  *  *  *  But, 
with  the  consent  of  authors  *  *  *  such  absolute  silence  in  all 
respects  cannot  be  intended,  for,  if  so,  how  shall  a  woman  make  con- 
fession of  her  faith,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  whole  church  as  she  is 
bound  to  do?  How  shall  a  woman  do,  if  she  be  an  evidence  to  a 
matter  of  fact?  Again,  how  shall  a  woman  defend  herself  if  wrong- 
fully accused,  if  she  may  not  speak?  How  shall  a  woman  offended 
*  *  *  tell  the  church  as  she  is  bound  to  do  (Matt.  18:17)?  There- 
fore, there  must  be  times  and  ways  in  and  by  which  women  may  dis- 
charge their  conscience  and  duty  toward  God  and  men."  Evidently, 
the  men  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  had  good  common  sense 

from  whom  the  twentieth  century  men  might  learn  something.     ThesQ 
12 


178  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

old  time  men  believed  in  a  woman  having  a  word  to  say  in  things 
of  public  interest. 

Pemberton  has  its  share  of  rural  experiences,  nevertheless,  being 
a  railroad  town,  and  the  vicinities  of  the  two  great  cities  of  the  nation, 
make  it  a  center  of  value  and  the  lands  about  it  attractive  to  a  home 
population. 

Authorities  insist  that  a  Baptist  church  was  planted  in  Burlington 
at  an  early  date.  The  minutes  of  the  Pennepek  church,  Pa.,  indicate 
that  a  Baptist  church  was  founded  there  in  1689.  Morgan  Edwards 
states:  that  Elias  Keach,  pastor  of  Penepak  church,  established  a 
Baptist  church  there  in  1690.  That  year  Mr.  Keach  was  invited  by 
Obadiah  Holmes,  Jr. — a  licentiate — to  visit  Cohansie  and  Baptist  con- 
verts gathered  there  by  Mr.  Holmes,  Jr.  Mr.  Keach  baptised  those 
converts.  If  he  returned  home  via  Burlington,  N.  J.  as  the  year  inti- 
mates, he  effected  two  important  matters,  establishing  churches  in 
Cohansie  and  in  Burlington.  It  is  agreed  that  the  church  in  Burling- 
ton disbanded  in  1699  and  the  members  joined  Penepak  church. 

Burlington  was  settled  early  by  the  "Friends"  (Quakers)  in  1667. 
and  in  1690,  was  a  populous  town.  These  doings  of  more  than  two 
hundred  years  since,  show  that  Baptists  then  as  now,  had  faith  in  God 
and  were  aggressive  to  make  known  their  convictions  of  Bible  teaching. 
All  in  America  endorse  "civil  and  religious  liberty,"  but  all  do  not 
know  that  it  cost  Baptists  persecution  and  their  lives  to  win  it  for 
mankind. 

Tradition  has  it,  that  indomitable  and  ever  memorable  Peter 
Wilson,  pastor  at  Hightstown,  visited  Burlington  in  1790,  holding 
meetings  there.  He  was  accompanied  by  two  licentiates  of  Pemberton, 
Benjamin  Hedger  and  I  C.  Carlisle.  These  preached  until  1798. 
Alexander  Magowan  became  pastor  at  Pemberton  in  1798  and  he 
with  Messrs.  Hedger  and  Carlisle  preached  till  the  constitution  of  the 
church  in  1801.  AATien  six  members  of  Pemberton,  six  of  Jacobstown, 
and  two  from  Philadelphia,  in  all,  fourteen  constituted  the  first  Baptist 
church  of  Burlington.  Among  the  six  from  Jacobstown  were  W.  H. 
Staughton  and  wife.  Mr.  Staughton  had  been  a  member  of  the  Bir- 
mingham Baptist  church,  England,  and  had  been  excluded  for  adultery, 
in  marrying  the  divorced  wife  of  a  man  still  living,  the  divorce  being 
for  other  than  scriptural  cause.  (Matt.  19:9;  5:32  and  Luke  16:18). 
When  excluded,  Mr.  Staughton  fled  to  America.  (See  "Whole  Truth," 
pages  19-20.  Letters  of  Dr.  Furman  and  of  Andrew  Fuller  of  Kettering) 
Staughton  later  became  pastor,  the  first  pastor  at  Burlington.  Mr. 
Staughton  in  coming  North,  finally  located  at  Bordentown,  then  a 
small  village  where  Mr.  Allison,  pastor  at  Jacobstown  Baptist  church. 


BURLINGTON  179 

lived  and  had  a  prosperous  school  of  students  from  every  colony  in  the 
United  States  and  from  Spain,  France,  West  Indies  and  South  America. 
This  school,  he  committed  to  Mr.  Staughton,  which  proved  unwise, 
since  it  declined  under  the  new  management. 

In  1801,  the  Burlington  church  called  Mr.  Staughton  to  be  pastor. 
A  call  in  1805,  to  be  pastor  of  the  first  church,  Philadelphia  was  accepted 
and  Mr.  Staughton  removed  to  Philadelphia.  He  resigned  his  charge 
in  five  or  six  years. 

The  Burlington  church  adopted  a  habit  of  their  times  and  looked 
for  a  pastor  among  their  members  and  licensed  Mr.  William  Boswell 
and  called  him  to  be  a  "permanent  supply."  His  labors  continued 
till  1809,  when  their  limited  financial  resources  necessitated  a  union  with 
Mount  Holly.  Under  the  arrangement,  Rev.  J.  McLaughlin  moved  to 
Burlington,  preaching  in  the  morning  at  Mount  Holly  and  in  the  after- 
noon and  evening  at  Burlington.  At  the  end  of  the  year,  Pastor 
McLaughlin  decided  that  the  field  was  too  large  and  limited  himself 
to  Burlington  until  1811,  when  he  removed.  Rev.  Burgess  Allison 
followed  Mr.  McLaughlin.  A  man  so  learned,  intelligent  and  good 
had  an  almost  unbounded  influence  in  the  town.  The  church  was 
renewed  and  in  the  four  years  of  his  stay  was  very  efficient.  His 
resignation  was  reluctantly  accepted.  Several  months  passed  and 
the  Rev.  J.  E.  Welsh  was  engaged  to  supply  the  church  whenever 
convenient.  This  was  in  1816.  New  life  appeared  at  once.  The 
church  edifice  was  repaired  and  made  attractive.  Crowds  met,  a 
revival  broke  out  and  numbers  were  baptized.  Every  effort  was  made 
to  retain  Mr.  Welsh,  but  his  face  was  set  westward;  associated  with 
Rev.  J.  M.  Peck,  the  Tri-ennial  convention  sent  them  to  the  Indians 
in  Missouri  near  to  St.  Louis. 

Rev.  Peter  Wilson  was  called  as  a  supply  for  one  year.  The 
immense  labors  of  Mr.  Wilson  as  pastor  at  Hightstown  for  thirty-five 
years  had  impaired  his  vital  force  and  now  nearly  seventy  years  old, 
was  compelled  to  resign.  Mr.  J.  H.  Kennard,  a  licentiate  of  Wilming- 
ton, Del.,  supplied  the  church  for  a  year  and  in  1820,  was  ordained 
for  pastoral  duties. 

In  1822,  a  second  church.  Pearl  street,  was  formed  in  Burlington; 
Mr.  Kennard  went  with  the  colony.  This  body  is  reported  in  the 
Association  minutes  up  to  1828  and  as  having  had  two  pastors.  Others 
claimed  that  the  second  church  existed  but  a  few  months  and  in  1823, 
proposed  uniting  with  the  mother  church. 

There  was  division  at  this  time.  Some  wanted  Rev.  J.  E.  Welsh, 
who  had  returned  east.  Others  preferred  Mr.  Kennard,  who  was 
pastor  of  the  second  church,  a  short  time  and  then  removed  to  second 


180  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Hopewell.  Neither  Mr.  Kcnnard  nor  Mr.  Welsh  were  parties  to  these 
differences.  Both  were  gentlemen  entirely  above  any  such  personali- 
ties. 

Mr.  Welsh  supplied  the  first  church  for  two  years,  this  being  his 
second  charge  of  the  church,  thence  removing  to  Mount  Holly.  A 
year  passed  and  the  church  called  and  licensed  Deacon  George  Allen, 
who  after  supplying  for  a  year  was  ordained  November  4th,  1826  and 
became  pastor.  Mr.  Allen  was  efficient  and  useful,  closing  his  pastorate 
in  six  years.     We  reap  the  benefit  of  his  care. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  New  Jersey  Association,  is  an  acknowledge- 
ment to  him,  for  files  of  its  minutes,  preserved  by  him,  acquainting 
us  with  the  early  details  of  our  denominational  life.  Two  events 
made  Mr.  Allen's  pastorate  memorable.  One,  an  origin  of  a  Sunday 
school  by  two  sisters  of  the  church.  Misses  Bertha  Ellis  and  Sarah  R. 
Allen,  a  daughter  of  the  pastor.  Miss  Allen  in  1830  married  Peter 
Simonson,  a  promising  young  man.  Her  son,  was  a  pastor  in  Newark, 
New  Jersey  and  her  daughter,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Wright  is  one  of  the  efficient 
workers  in  Burlington  church,  now  past  seventy  years  old.  She  has 
a  large  Bible  class. 

The  other  event  was  the  baptism  of  Mr.  Samuel  Aaron,  a  man 
among  men.  Mr.  Aaron  was  bom  in  New  Brittain,  Pa.  His  parents 
were  members  of  the  Baptist  church  in  the  town.  In  1820,  he  was  a 
teacher  and  student  in  the  classical  and  mathematical  school  of  "Friend" 
John  Gummere  in  Burlington,  N.  J.,  where  Mr.  Aaron  completed  his 
course  in  1822.  "Friend"  Gummere  immediately  emploved  him  to 
teach  in  his  school,  a  foremost  school  in  the  United  States.  Again, 
in  1824,  Mr.  Gummere  engaged  Mr.  Aaron.  Friend  Gummere  was 
a  rare  man  in  the  natural  qualities  of  a  teacher  and  in  his  innate  per- 
ception of  teaching  qualities  of  another  man.  His  judgment  of  the 
teaching  gifts  of  men  and  of  their  moral  and  intellectual  worth  was 
nearly  infallible.  He  had  also,  the  equipment  of  an  education,  which 
gave  him  a  foremost  place  among  educators  as  the  writer  knows  full 
well,  having  been  in  his  classes.  Mr.  Gummere  appreciated  Mr. 
Aaron's  eminent  worth.  In  1826,  Mr.  Aaron  united  with  the  Baptist 
church  by  baptism;  the  same  year  in  which  Mr.  Allen  was  ordained, 
in  his  fifty-fourth  year. 

Mr.  Allen  spent  thirty  years  in  the  ministry.  His  last  pastorate 
at  Penn's  Neck  continued  thirteen  years  and  it  was  his  second  charge 
at  Penns  Neck.  Returning  to  Burlington,  where  he  died,  eighty-seven 
years  old  in  the  midst  of  the  associations  of  his  youth.  Supplies  min- 
itsered  to  the  church  at  the  close  of  Mr.  Allen's  charge  in  1832,  and 
until  the  Baptist  school  was  begun  in  1833.     At  this  time  Mr.  Aaron 


BURLINGTON  181 

wrote  to  a  friend,  "I  am  likely  to  have  my  hands  full  of  labor  and 
my  mind  of  cares,  for  in  addition  to  the  school,  the  little  church  here, 
needs  the  service  of  some  body  who  will  work  for  nothing  and  find 
himself." 

The  school  was  founded  by  the  Central  Education  Society  of 
Philadelphia,  representing  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  Baptists. 
Mr.  Aaron  being  principal  of  the  school,  was  called  to  be  pastor  in  Sep- 
tember in  1833.  Thus,  for  the  third  time,  the  church  had  a  pastor, 
one  who  had  been  baptized  into  its  fellowship.  Brighter  days  dawned 
on  the  church,  crowds  waited  on  Mr.  Aaron's  ministry,  converts  were 
added  to  the  church.  A  large  and  modern  house  of  worship  was  a 
necessity  and  in  1834,  one  was  built  and  dedicated  and  filled  with  wor- 
shippers. Pastoral  duties  and  those  of  the  school  were,  however, 
too  great  a  burden.  Mr.  Aaron  gave  up  the  charge  of  the  church  in 
1838,  after  five  years  of  devoted  service.  Rev.  F.  Ketchum  of  Con- 
necticut followed  in  March  1839.  He  had  adopted  the  plan  of  "Pro- 
tracted Meetings"  and  their  accompaniments  introduced  into  the  North 
by  Rev.  W.  T.  Brantly,  Sr.,  pastor  of  the  first  BaptLst  church  of  Phila- 
delphia at  his  coming  from  the  south.  Possibly  Mr.  Ketchum  "pushed 
things"  and  allowed  extremes  which  Mr.  Brantly  would  not  have  con- 
sented to.  For  Mr.  Ketchum  was  a  man  of  intense  earnestness  and 
likely  to  use  any  instrumentality  he  believed  to  be  consistent  with 
Gospel  ministries,  accepting  the  language  of  the  parable :  "Compel  them 
to  come  in,"  as  literal.  Many  were  added  to  the  church  in  his  short 
pastorate;  accepting  a  call  to  Philadelphia  in  May  1840.  Mr.  Ketchum 
held  numerous  meetings  in  New  Jersey  with  uniform  success,  both 
in  the  cit)'  and  in  the  country,  crowds  gathered  to  hear  him.  Re- 
moving to  Illinois,  he  was  equally  successful  in  the  West  as  he  had 
been  in  the  East.     He  died  in  1885,  seventy-five  years  old. 

The  same  year  1840,  in  which  Mr.  Ketchum  left  Burlington, 
Rev.  E.  W.  Dickinson  entered  on  the  pastoral  care  of  the  church.  A 
marked  contra.st  distinguished  these  pastors.  Mr.  Dickinson  was  a 
man  of  fine  culture,  scholarly  and  a  very  able  preacher.  In  manner, 
style  and  compositions  his  sermons  were  the  opposite  of  his  predecessor. 
The  six  years  of  his  charge  were  a  period  of  growth  and  prosperity. 
The  church  and  congregation  were  loath  to  part  with  him  in  January, 
1847.  His  successor,  Mr.  S.  S.  Parker,  was  ordained  in  June  1847. 
A  good  preacher  and  a  wise  pastor,  the  love  of  his  people  entwined 
about  him  but  his  failing  health  compelled  his  resignation. 

In  February  1850,  Rev.  W.  H.  Parmly  settled.  Mr.  Parmly 
was  a  charming  man.  Everybody  loved  him.  In  all  things  to  all 
people;  always  and  everywhere  Wheelock  Parmly  got  hold  of  you  and 


182  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

you  were  glad  to  have  it  so.  He  was  not  a  great  man,  either  as  preacher 
or  counsellor,  but  he  was  good  and  his  companionship  was  delightful. 
Mr.  Family  resigned  in  1854.  While  pastor  the  church  edifice  was 
enlarged  and  bettered.  Mr.  Barnhurst,  who  followed  Mr.  Parraly 
was  eminently  a  missionary  pastor.  A  chapel  was  built  on  Florence 
heights  and  a  way  opened  for  the  organization  of  a  church.  His 
diligence  in  missions,  exposure  by  night  brought  on  consumption  and 
he  was  necessitated  to  retire  in  June  1865.  Going  West,  in  the  vain 
hope  of  recovery,  ere  long  he  had  his  reward  on  high  A  deceiver 
became  pastor;  his  character  was  manifest  and  he  was  excluded  in 
1857.  Supplies  ministered  to  the  church  for  about  two  years,  when 
Rev.  William  A.  Smith  settled  and  was  ordained.  His  health  failing, 
he  resigned  in  1860. 

Rev.  W.  W.  Meech  entered  the  pastorate  the  neixt  June.  The 
Civil  War  was  in  progress.  Its  excitements  were  dominant  and  like 
to  many  other  pastors,  Mr.  Meech  changed  fields,  hoping  for  relief  from 
city  life  in  1862.  About  this  time,  Mr.  Alexander  Tardff  was  licensed 
to  preach  and  with  eleven  others,  were  dismissed  to  constitute  an  Afro- 
American  church.  Rev.  Kelsay  Walling  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor 
in  1863.  He  closed  his  ministry  at  Burlington  in  August  1871.  This 
was  the  longest  pastorate  the  church  had  enjoyed.  It  was  both 
successful  and  happy.  In  1867-8,  a  gracious  work  was  enjoyed. 
Young  men,  especially,  were  added  to  the  church.  There  were  more 
baptisms  in  these  eight  years,  than  in  any  other  preceding  charge. 
On  December  5th,  1871,  Rev.  J.  E.  Wilson  became  pastor.  The  church 
edifice  was  virtually  rebuilt  and  in  1874,  one  hundred  and  twenty-six 
were  baptized. 

The  earlier  movement  at  Florence  had  failed  and  the  chapel  was 
sold.  A  renewed  interest  was  undertaken,  an  outgrowth  of  the  revival 
of  1874.  In  1875,  a  Sunday  school  was  organized  and  steps  were  taken 
to  build  a  place  of  worship  and  constitute  a  church  in  Florence.  The 
mission  was  sustained  by  Pastor  Wilson  of  Burlington  and  by  resident 
Baptists  in  Florence.  Mr.  W.  F.  Thatcher  of  Florence  was  devoted 
to  the  upbuilding  of  the  church  in  the  town.  Mr.  Wilson  was  pastor 
at  Burlington  about  seven  years  and  had  a  useful  and  fruitful  charge. 
Rev.  E.  Davis  followed,  remaining  four  years  till  1882.  In  the  next 
October,  Rev.  T.  M.  Eastwood  accepted  the  call  to  be  pastor,  con- 
tinuing ten  years.  Soon  after  Mr.  Eastwood  left,  the  church  called 
Rev.  J.  M.  Hare,  who  resigned  to  go  with  the  regiment  of  which  he 
was  chaplain  to  Cuba,  in  the  Spanish  War.  The  desire  of  the  people 
went  back  to  Mr.  Eastwood  and  recalled  him  to  resume  his  former 
pastorate.     He  yielded  to  their  request  and  again  in  1892,  settled  in 


FLORENCE  AND  BEVERLY  183 

Burlington       and       is       now       (1900)       pastor      at      Burlington. 

Burlington  church  included  many  choice  members.  Two  of  them, 
deacons,  they  licensed  and  called  to  be  pastors.  Another,  also,  Rev. 
Samuel  Aaron,  they  called  to  be  pastor.  Their  action  is  a  type  of  the 
membership  of  our  early  churches,  that  they  included  members,  whom 
they  preferred  as  teachers  of  Divine  truth  and  these  men  could  spend  a 
life  time  from  twenty  to  fifty  years,  preaching  to  the  same  congregation 
and  be  heard  gladly.  Hearers  and  preachers  were  Bible  men.  Evi- 
dently substance  was  to  them  of  more  worth  than  manner,  culture 
and  forms.  These  were  the  men  who  made  us  as  a  denomination  what  we 
are.  Their  spiritual  appetite  was  not  dainty  nor  their  spiritual  digest- 
ion perplexed  with  dyspeptic  tendencies. 

Note  these  names  which  may  be  increased  by  scores:  Southworth, 
John  Walton,  Drake,  Stelle,  llunyan,  Randolph,  Miller,  Allen,  Wilson, 
Kelsay,  Sheppard,  Burrows,  Eaton,  Jenkin,  Bateman,  Curtis,  Sutton, 
Heaton.  The  pastors  of  Burlington  have  included  choice  men.  Fif- 
teen hundred  and  thirty  have  been  baptized  into  the  church.  Three 
churches  have  been  colonized  from  first  Burlington. 

At  Beverly,  after  the  failure  of  W.  H.  Staughton  and  his  "union" 
effort,  W.  H.  Parmly  renewed  the  effort  and  succeeded.  The  church 
has  always  been  housed.  At  a  meeting  of  Baptists,  December  21st, 
1794,  in  Burlington,  the  minutes  state,  "Having  assembled  in  the 
Baptist  Meeting  Hojise,"  bought  in  1794,  from  the  "Friends,"  (Quakers) 
and  held  by  the  trustees  of  Pemberton.  Under  Pastor  Aaron,  a  new 
and  large  house  of  worship  was  built.  It  was  remodelled  under  Pastor 
Parmly,  rebuilt  under  Pastor  Wilson  and  has  since  then,  been  enlarged. 
Thus  the  church  has  had  four  sanctuaries.  Also,  two  chapels  built 
at  Florence  and  a  house  built  at  Beverly  as  is  believed.  Thus,  in  all, 
seven,  the  first  having  been  bought.  Nine  members  have  been  licensed 
to  preach.  Three  of  whom  have  been  pastors.  One  of  them  was  Mr. 
Rice,  who  with  Judson,  sailed  for  India.  If  Mr.  Aaron  is  included  in 
the  nine  licensed  to  preach,  the  number  of  licentiates  would  be  ten. 
The  church  has  had  twenty-one  pastors.  One  of  them  has  been  settled 
twice.  Mr.  J.  E.  Welsh  has  really  had  three  settlements  at  Burlington. 
His  relations  to  the  church  were  most  intimate.  Later,  he  was  a 
resident  of  the  city.  In  July  1876,  he  was  commissioner  of  the  State 
of  Missouri,  to  the  Centennial  Exhibition  in  Philadelphia,  making 
Burlington  his  home.  Although  in  his  88th  year,  he  went  with  an 
excursion  to  the  ocean.  There  were  not  any  railroads  on  the  coast 
then.  Ready  to  bathe  in  the  sea,  he  was  taken  ill  and  died  on  the 
beach.  His  remains  were  removed  to  Burlington,  where  he  began  and 
ended  his  ministry. 


IM  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Formerly  Beverly  was  known  as  "Dunk's  Ferry."  The  town  is 
on  the  Delaware  river  about  three  miles  south  of  Burlintgon.  Baptist 
pastors  in  Burlington  have  preached  there  from  an  early  date.  Wil- 
liam H.  Staughton  had  a  mission  station  there  or  nearby.  He  ob- 
tained subscriptions,  chiefly  of  Baptists,  and  erected  a  commodious 
brick  meeting  house  at  Cooperstown,  two  miles  northeast  of  Dunks 
Ferry.  He  made  it  a  "Union  House,"  It  was  used  for  several  years 
harmoniously.  But  for  the  last  thirty-four  years,  up  to  1851,  has 
been  a  bone  of  contention  among  several  denominations  and  is  now 
wholly  unoccupied.  Staughton,  in  his  last  days,  alluding  to  it  called 
it  "Staughton's  folly." 

Beverly  being  a  railroad  town,  and  a  river  town  and  pleasantly 
located,  attracted  a  large  citizen  population  from  Philadelphia,  besides 
others  from  the  country.  After  Staughton's  sad  failure,  Rev.  W.  H. 
Parraly,  pastor  in  Burlington,  established  regular  meetings  at  proper 
seasons  in  groves,  in  an  old  building  and  in  school  houses.  The  resident 
Baptists  finally  decided  to  organize  a  Baptist  church.  This  they  did, 
on  the  tenth  of  February  1851,  twelve  resident  Baptists  constituted 
themselves  a  Baptist  church.  Six  were  from  Philadelphia,  five  from 
Burlington  and  one  from  Bridgeton. 

Already  Beverly  was  a  popular  resort.  In  1850,  Hon.  John 
Fenimore,  a  deacon  of  the  Burlington  church,  bought  a  hall  in  Beverly 
and  offered  the  use  of  the  lower  story  to  the  Baptists  with  the  liberty 
of  buying  the  property  should  they  choose.  Eventually,  the  church 
bought  and  used  it  for  worship.  Becoming  too  small,  and  a  lot  being 
given  to  the  church,  a  brick  house  of  worship  was  built  and  dedicated 
in  1865. 

The  succession  of  pastors  was:  E.  C.  Brown,  1851-52;  G.  G.  Gleason, 
1852-55;  George  Mitchell,  1856-;  E.  M.  Barker,  1858-61;  J.  S.  Miller, 
1862;  Thomas  Davis,  1865-68;  William  Swinden,  1868-72;  W.  Kelsey, 
1872-79;  D.  S.  Fletcher,  1879;  J.  E.  Raymond,  1880-82;  S.  P.  Lewey, 
1883;  J.  Trickett,  1884;  J.  Walden,  1887-92;  H.  C.  Munro,  1893;  T.  S. 
Fretz,  1894-99.     W.  W.  Willis,  1900. 

Of  these  pastors,  E.  M.  Barker  was  of  especial  use.  For  several 
years,  the  meeting  house  had  been  building;  a  large  debt  was  incurred 
and  a  second  disaster  was  near.  The  lot  given  for  the  house  was  out 
of  the  way  and  the  house  if  ever  finished  was  a  bar  to  prosperity.  It 
was  finished  and  dedicated  in  1867.  Mr.  Barker  averted  a  disaster 
that  would  have  been  fatal,  by  his  collections.  Rev.  P.  Powell  was  a 
resident  of  Beverly.  His  record  of  care  for  weak  churches  evinced  his 
concern  for  Beverly,  doing  by  his  counsels  and  gifts,  all  he  could 
for  the  church.     In  1875,  tlie  la5t  debt  on  the  church  was  paid  by  a 


FLORENCE  185 

lady  in  Bristol,  Pa.,  giving  the  entire  sum,  thus  relieving  the  church. 
Rev.  Mr.  Powell  died  June  10th,  1886,  ninety-four  years  old.  He  was 
one  of  the  men  of  whom  history  makes  no  mention.  The  writer  knew 
him  well  and  redeems  his  memory  from  oblivion. 

Others,  men  of  the  same  stamp,  J.  Sisty,  E.  Sexton,  E.  V.  Glover, 
D.  Bateman,  Zelotes  Crenelle,  the  Barrass  brothers  and  the  Tea.sdale 
brothers,  men  eminent  in  natural  gifts  to  win  their  way  to  high  places, 
men  who  delighted  to  serve  weak  and  struggling  churches,  which  but 
for  them  would  have  died;  men,  ready  to  serve  in  lowly  places;  men, 
like  to  their  Master,  in  that  "the  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached  to 
them" — served  as  pastors. 

Beverly  shared  in  gifts  from  abroad,  their  first  place  of  worsliip 
was  given  to  them;  the  lot  of  their  second  house  was  a  gift.  Their  debt 
on  their  last  church  edifice  was  paid  by  a  woman  of  another  state. 
Legacies  made  a  parsonage  possible  to  them,  which  was  occupied  in 
1900.  Aside  from  the  pastors  of  first  Burlington,  Bever  y  has  had 
fifteen  pastors  additional  to  the  ministries  of  Rev.  P.  Powell. 

Early  in  1874,  Mr.  Thatcher,  a  member  of  first  Burlington  Baptist 
church,  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  Florence  Iron  Works. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thatcher  found  at  Florence  two  or  three  Baptist  families. 
A  Sunday  school  was  begim  there  in  the  fall  of  1874  and  later  a  week 
evening  social  meeting. 

In  January  1875,  Mr.  Wilson,  a  student  and  son  of  the  pastor  at 
Burlington,  began  a  series  of  meetings  at  Florence  at  which  many  were 
converted,  joining  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Burlington.  The  next 
four  years,  students  preached  regularly  at  Florence  and  on  January 
29th,  1880  members  dismissed  from  fir.st  Burlington  were  constituted 
the  Florence  Baptist  chvn-ch.  Mr.  O.  G.  Buddington  was  called  to  be 
pastor  and  on  September  17th,  was  ordained  and  continued  pastor 
until  December  1885.  Under  his  care  the  church  prospered,  in  1884, 
the  house  was  enlarged  and  improved. 

Pastors  who  followed  were,  C.  D.  Parker,  1886-89;  a  parsonage 
was  built  in  1887;  C.  M.  Deitz,  1889-1893;  a  chapel  was  built  at  the 
railroad  station  and  services  kept  up  in  it.  Mr.  Allyn  was  pastor 
1893-1900.  Revivals  characterized  this  period  and  scores  of  converts 
were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism. 

Deacon  William  F.  Thatcher  was  at  his  own  request  relieved  of 
the  superintendency  of  the  Sunday  school,  having  for  twenty-six 
years,  discharged  its  duties.  The  mission  at  the  railroad  station 
afforded  large  and  useful  outlet  for  the  faithful  activities  of  the  church. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MOUNT  HOLLY  AND  MARLTON. 


The  first  residents  in  and  about  Mount  Holly  were  "Friends" 
(Quakers)  locating  in  1670.  William  the  Fourth,  later  King  of  England, 
was  with  the  English  soldiers  in  the  town  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
Stephen  Girard,  the  famous  Philadelphia  merchant,  the  wealthiest 
man  in  the  United  States,  founder  of  Girard  College  in  Philadelphia, 
kept  a  cigar  store  in  Mount  Holly  and  sold  raisins  to  the  children  by 
the  penny's  worth. 

Humble  circumstances  in  early  life  are  one  of  the  least  conditions 
determining  the  future  success.  As  with  individuals,  so  with  churches. 
A  beginning  is  not  a  forecast  of  the  future.  The  long  delay  of  sixteen 
years,  from  the  early  Baptist  ministries  in  Mount  Holly  to  the  founding 
of  the  church  was  discouraging.  Nevertheless,  a  seed  was  sown  which 
in  due  time  germinated. 

Two  men  had  much  to  do  with  the  developement  of  Mount  Holly 
church.  Peter  Wilson,  pastor  of  Hightstown  church,  who  preached 
in  it  in  1784,  and  Alexander  McGowan,  a  licentiate  of  Hightstown, 
who  from  the  Presbyterian  came  into  the  Baptist  ministry  by  searching 
tlic  Scriptures  to  find  out  if  he  was  right  in  his  ideas  of  the  mode  and 
the  subjects  of  baptism. 

One  Joshua  Smith,  of  New  England,  possibly  a  deacon  but  not 
a  clergyman,  come  to  Mount  Holly  in  1792,  held  a  series  of  meetings. 
Mr.  McGowan  was  pastor  at  Pemberton  in  1795.  He  alternated  on 
the  Lord's  Day  between  Pemberton  and  Mount  Holly.  Dates  vary 
through  the  loss  of  the  old  record.  It  is  not  known  how  long  before 
1795,  and  if  after  the  constitution  of  Mount  Holly  church,  if  Mr.  Mc- 
gowan  visited  the  church.  However  it  is  believed  that  though  Mr. 
McGowan  was  not  pastor,  that  he  had  general  oversight  of  its  affairs 
for  thirteen  years  to  1814,  when  he  removed  to  the  West.  He  was  a 
great  worker,  an  able  preacher  and  soul  winner.  His  labors  at  Mount 
Holly  were  wholly  missionary.  He  baptized  one  hundred  and  nineteen 
converts  in  Mount  Holly.  They  united  with  Pemberton  church.  In 
1805,  Mr.  McGowan  removed  from  Pemberton  to  Marlton.  But  he 
agreed  to  "supply"  Mount  Holly  as  often  as  convenient,  thus  retaining 
his  connection  with  Mount  Holly. 

Meriba  Cox  and  Jane  Mullen  are  said  to  be  the  first  Baptists 
living  in  Mount  Holly.     Their  names  are  among  the  constituents  of 


MOUNT  HOLLY  187 

Mount  Holly.  Some  say  there  were  thirty-six,  others  claim  that 
there  were  fifty-two.  The  date  of  the  organization  is  also  a  question, 
some  insisting  upon  an  earlier  date  than  is  published  in  the  minutes 
Providentially,  in  1814,  (the  year  in  which  Mr.  McGowan  went  West) 
a  young  man,  a  member  of  Mount  Holly  came  on  the  stage  of  public 
life  about  this  time,  the  ever  memorable  John  Sisty. 

Mr.  Sisty  had  been  a  member  of  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Phila- 
delphia and  changed  his  residence  to  Mount  Holly.  Mr.  Sisty  upheld 
his  pastor.  Rev.  H.  Holcombe,  under  the  persecutions  brought 
on     Mr.    Holcombe.  Although     not     officially   pastor   at     Mount 

Holly,  Mr.  Sisty  was  licensed  and  ordained  at  Mount  Holly  to 
serve  the  church  there,  and  for  three  years  preached  and  did  pastor's 
duties  at  his  own  cost.  About  the  time  at  the  end  of  three  years 
Mr.  Sisty  moved  to  Haddonfield.  He  was  entitled  to  the  highest 
respect.  Those  of  us  who  knew  him,  do  not  forget  the  quiet,  un- 
assuming and  unprepossessing  little  man,  who  made  an  indelible 
mark  on  Baptist  interests  in  New  Jersey. 

After  Mr.  Sisty  had  removed,  another  member  of  the  church, 
Joseph  Maylin,  who  had  been  licensed  and  later  was  ordained,  served 
the  church.  Like  to  Mr.  Sisty,  he  was  not  pastor,  also  like  him,  a 
man  of  means,  he  ministered  to  the  church  without  cost  to  it  for  several 
years.  Rev.  J.  E.  Welsh,  likewise,  ministered  for  an  indefinite  period. 
But  whether  with  cost  to  it,  we  do  not  know. 

In  1830,  Rev.  Joseph  Sheppard  of  Salem,  entered  the  pastoral 
office,  continuing  seven  years.  Having  some  private  resources,  he 
was  not  wholly  dependent  on  the  salary  the  church  gave.  Mr.  Sheppard 
inaugurated  a  new  era  in  Baptist  interests  in  Mount  Holly.  Both 
material  forces  were  accumulated  and  agressive  instrumentalities  were 
introduced,  as  the  Sunday  school.  No  mention  is  made  of  the  reason 
for  his  resignation.  But  as  he  lived  in  Camden,  only  three  years 
after  resigning,  it  may  be  that  his  health  was  a  bar  to  continued  pas- 
toral work. 

In  the  fall  of  1836,  Rev.  H.  K.  Green  settled  as  pastor.  His  stay 
was  short.  Again  in  1837,  Mr.  Green  became  pastor.  He  continued 
but  a  little  while.  Mr.  Green  was  genteel  in  speech  and  manner; 
of  rare  culture  and  of  natural  intellectual  gifts.  He  had  also,  a  lassitude 
of  character  which  impaired  his  efficiency  as  pastor  and  teacher. 
The  writer  has  ofttimos  recited  to  him  during  which,  he  has  taken 
a  nap. 

Rev.  Samuel  Cornelius  entered  the  pastorate  in  December  1837. 
He  was  the  opposite  in  all  respects  to  Mr.  Green,  never  lacking  for 
something  to  do  and  doing  it  with  force  and  zeal.     Mr.  Cornelius 


188  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

shared  with  Noah  Davis  in  the  origination  of  the  American  Baptist 
Publication  Society.  In  May  1842,  Rev.  H.  S.  Haven  followed  Mr. 
Cornelius,  but  illness  shortened  his  charge. 

A  new  church  edifice  was  begun  in  1843.  It  was  dedicated  in 
March  1844  as  Rev.  T.  O.  Lincoln  began  his  pastoral  care  for  the 
ensuing  two  years,  whom  Rev.  M.  Eastwood  succeeded  in  November. 
Again  there  was  a  vacancy  of  two  years  in  the  pastoral  office.  Rev. 
W.  G.  CoUom  was  pastor  for  three  years  to  June  of  1^53  and  was 
followed  by  Rev.  T.  D.  Worrall  becoming  pastor  in  1854  and  remained 
till  March  1855. 

In  the  next  May,  J.  S.  Miller  settled.  Debts  were  cancelled; 
harmony  restored  and  the  accession  of  converts  to  the  church  assured 
its  future  welfare  when  after  the  dark  days  of  1854  and  5  had  gone. 
Pastor  Miller  at  the  end  of  four  years  of  efficient  service  closed  his 
charge  in  Mount  Holly  in  1859. 

Samuel  Aaron  was  the  next  pastor  in  May,  1859,  remaining  till 
he  died  on  April  11th,  1865.  A  successor  writes  of  him,  "The  fame 
and  persecution  on  account  of  his  temperance  and  anti-slavery  apostle- 
ship,  which  alike  ennoble  his  name,  came  with  him  to  Mount  Holly. 
The  church  cheered  him  and  was  proud  of  him.  Under  the  ministry 
so  devout  and  scholarship  of  so  courteous  a  gentleman,  the  cause  of 
Christ  greatly  prospered.  But  the  anti-slavery  and  radical  temperance 
addresses  of  Mr.  Aaron  made  him  many  enemies."  His  body  and  that 
of  Mr.  Lincoln  awaited  burial  at  the  same  time.  Happily,  Mr.  Aaron 
lived  to  hear  of  the  surrender  at  Appotomax,  but  it  pleased  God  to 
take  him  before  the  murder  of  Mr.  Lincoln. 

The  writer  congratulated  Mr.  Aaron  on  his  dying  bed  upon  the 
surrender  of  General  Lee.  He  also  used  to  hear  the  discussions  of 
delegates  at  the  sessions  of  the  New  Jersey  Association  as  to  who 
should  be  moderator  at  its  annual  meetings,  the  aim  being  to  have 
one  in  the  chair  familiar  "with  the  rules  of  order,"  and  who  had  the 
courage  to  enforce  them  and  Hmit  debate  to  the  subject  under  dis- 
cussion, allusion  being  chiefly  to  Mr.  Aaron.  For  all  knew  that  Mr. 
Aaron  would  be  heard  on  the  themes  of  slavery  and  of  temperance, 
the  aim  being  to  enforce  the  rule  as  to  time  and  frequency  of  remark. 

Usually,  Rev.  J.  E.  Welsh  was  chosen.  He  was  moderator  of  the 
Association  for  many  years,  elected  purposely  to  hold  Mr.  Aaron 
within  bounds.  His  intense  earnestness  and  commanding  eloquence 
on  any  question  of  morals  or  on  the  duties  of  humanity,  demanded  a 
hearing  even  of  those  who  repudiated  his  ideas.  First  a  teacher,  and 
when  converted  a  pi-eacher.  As  teacher,  he  had  no  superior.  The 
writer  recalls  how  glad  the  class  was  to  see  him  come  into  recitation. 


MOUNT  HOLLY  189 

We  knew  it  meant  getting  into  the  heart  of  things.  So  patient,  so 
thorough,  and  so  Hkc  one  of  us.  Students  knew  that  teacher  and 
class  were  a  mutual  aid  societj'. 

Mr.  Aaron's  life  accorded  with  his  profession.  His  home  was  a 
station  on  the  "Underground  Railway"  from  slavery  to  Canada.  The 
writer  heard  him  plead  in  court  for  a  fugitive  being  returned  to  slavery. 
Words  arc  at  fault  to  express  the  pathos,  passion,  and  elo(|uence  of 
that  plea.  Once  he  was  cruelly  beaten  by  a  rum  seller  in  a  street  in 
a  town  in  which  he  lived,  on  account  of  his  advocacy  of  temperance. 
On  another  street,  a  drunken  inebriate  lay  unconscious,  where  he 
would  have  died  in  a  wintry  night.  He  got  him  up,  took  him  home 
with  him,  gave  him  as  good  a  bed  as  his  own,  and  in  the  morning, 
prevailed  v/ith  him  to  reform.     Thus  his  deeds  emphasized  his  words. 

Rev.  A.  G.  Thomas  followed  Mr.  Aaron  at  Mount  Holly  on  August 
1865,  and  had  a  happy  and  successful  pastorate  of  three  years.  In  its 
second  year,  a  remarkable  work  of  grace  was  enjo}'ed.  One  hundred 
and  sixty-four  were  baptized.  The  house  of  worship  was  enlarged  and 
improved.  Mr.  Thomas  was  parted  with,  with  great  reluctance.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  Waters  in  June  1868.  The  spiritual  life  in 
the  church  continued  in  the  three  years  of  Mr.  Water's  stay.  Rev. 
T.  J.  House  followed  for  ten  months.  In  June,  1874,  Mr.  Edward 
Braislin  was  ordained  and  held  the  pastoral  care  for  seven  years. 
Neither  was  it  the  choice  of  the  church  for  Mr.  Braislin  to  resign. 

On  April  1st,  1882,  Rev.  H.  F.  Smith  entered  the  pastorate.  Mr. 
Smith  retired  to  sleep  February  10th,  1887;  not  coming  to  breakfast, 
the  reason  for  his  delay  was  inquired  into  and  he  was  found  "asleep 
in  Jesus."  An  incident  of  the  evening  was  the  visit  of  a  neighbor 
pastor,  and  at  bedtime,  Mr.  Smith  said  to  his  friend:  "Come  let  us  sing 
my  favoi-ite  hymn,"  and  he  began  to  sing,  "I  would  not  live  alway, 
I  ask  not  to  stay,"  and  sang  the  entire  hymn.  It  was  his  last  song 
on  earth  and  he  had  his  desire,  exchanging  the  song  of  earth  for  that 
of  glory. 

Mr.  Smith  had  lived  a  useful  life.  The  churches  he  had  served 
were  the  better  in  all  respects  for  his  charge  of  them.  He  had  been 
secretary  of  the  Convention  for  fourteen  years,  retiring  from  the 
office,  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  the  Convention. 

After  Mr.  Smith,  came  R.  F.  Y.  Pierce  on  November  1st,  1887. 
In  1888,  the  second  great  revival  occurred,  when  one  hundred  and  five 
were  baptized.  The  enthusiasm  with  which  Mr.  Pierce  began,  con- 
tined  through  this  charge.  Resigning  in  October  1892,  Rev.  S.  G. 
Nelson  began  his  pastoral  work   in   February   1893   and  resigned  in 


190  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

November  1895.  The  next  September  1896,  Rev.  C.  H.  Pendleton 
held  the  pastoral  office  and  was  pastor  in  1900. 

Twenty-six  pastors  have  served  the  church.  Messrs.  McGowan 
and  Green  each  had  a  second  pastoral  charge.  Pastors  Sisty  and 
Maylin  were  licensed  and  ordained  to  be  pastors.  These  served  the 
church  at  their  own  cost.  Six  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach. 
Mr.  Sisty  will  ever  be  remembered  for  his  work  at  Mount  Holly  and 
Haddonfield.  A  business  man,  he  gladly  spent  his  money  and  time 
for  needy  fields. 

Only  one  church  has  colonized  from  Mount  Holly,  Marlton  in 
1805,  with  fifty-five  members.  The  first  meeting  house  in  Mount  Holly 
was  built  in  1800,  by  the  Pemberton  church  and  was  in  use  forty-two 
years.  In  1843,  in  an  interim  of  pastors,  a  larger  and  better  house 
was  built  and  dedicated  in  Mr.  Lincoln's  charge.  The  building  has 
undergone  many  changes  and  enlargements,  and  Mount  Holly  now  has 
a  house  of  worship  both  large  and  most  fitting  for  church  uses. 

The  "Friends"  (Quakers)  had  settled  in  New  Jersey  in  the  vicinities 
of  Philadelphia,  long  before  William  Penn  located  his  colony  in  Penn- 
sylvania about  1682.  This  may  have  influenced  him  to  choose  the 
location  for  his  colony.  Wealthy  Englishmen,  "Friends"  had  bought 
large  tracts  of  land  in  New  Jersey  and  had  sent  colonies  of  their  per- 
secuted brethren,  who  could  not  pay  both,  the  co.st  of  emmigration  and 
buy  their  lands,  on  which  to  settle.  These  opulent  "Friends"  provided 
thus  for  their  afflicted  friends  early  in  1600  and  by  their  financial 
interests  in  West  Jersey,  which  they  acquired  in  1676.  Anthony 
Sharp  of  Tedbury,  England,  then  of  Dublin,  Ireland,  planted  colonies 
of  such  "Friends"  south  of  Camden  and  appointed  his  son  Isaac,  its 
superintendent. 

The  Quakers  had  shared  with  Baptists  in  persecutions  for  their 
ideas  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  Fellowship  for  each  other  in  common 
sufferings,  explains  the  coming  of  these  sects  from  New  England,  Vir- 
ginia and  Europe,  to  New  Jersey,  where,  owing  to  the  caste  of  the 
population,  the  largest  liberty  of  speech  and  conduct  had  been  enjoyed 
and  where,  an  instance  of  restraint  and  persecution  for  the  exercise 
of  one's  conviction  of  truth  and  duty  has  never  been  kno%vn. 

Quakers  and  Baptists  had  a  positive  influence  with  Charles  the 
Second,  when  he  Avas  King  of  England  and  he  was  so  far,  just  and 
honorable  as  to  cherish  the  obligations  of  his  father,  Charles  the  First, 
to  Quakers  and  Baptists,  non-combatants  in  the  Civil  War  of  England; 
thus  they  had  security  for  their  personal  rights  and  the  sympathy  of 
the  Royal  government  in  its  appointment  of  Governors  and  Judges 
of  the  Courts.     These  conditions  favored  both  Friends  and  Baptists, 


MAllLTON  191 

of  which  tho  population  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  was  so 
largely  made  up.  Baptists  also,  had  more  sympathy  in  a  Quaker 
community  than  other  denominations. 

Evesham  township,  from  which  Marlton  church  took  its  first 
name,  was  very  large,  including  Marlton  village.  Peter  Wilson  of 
Hightstown;  Alex.  McGowan,  Isaac  Carlisle  and  Benjamin  Hcdger 
of  Pemberton,  had  preached  in  Evesham  as  early  as  1788.  In  1803, 
some  of  its  residents  were  so  much  interested  that  they  sent  to  Mount 
Holly  to  arrange  with  Mr.  McGowan  to  preach  among  them.  He 
did  so.  Converts  were  made  and  baptized;  others  were  impressed 
by  the  ordinance.  Congregations  outgrew  the  old  school  house.  A 
meeting  house  was  a  necessity  and  in  1804,  it  was  decided  to  build 
one,  which  was  dedicated  in  September  1805.  The  building  was  to 
be  a  Baptist  meeting  house,  free  however,  for  the  use  of  other  denom- 
inations, when  not  used  by  Baptists,  an  instance  of  Baptist  liberality. 
Their  fundamental  principle  of  the  right  of  each  and  all  to  decide  for 
themselves,  their  religious  views  and  assure  to  others,  eciual  right, 
which  they  claim  for  themselves  not  only  in  opinion,  but  as  much  in 
opportunity. 

Having  a  house  of  worship  and  distant  from  Mount  Holly,  of 
which  church  they  were  members,  a  church  organization  was  desirable. 
Accordingly,  on  November  16th,  1805,  the  Evesham  Baptist  church  of 
nine  members  was  recognized.  Mr.  McGowan,  pastor  of  Pemberton 
church,  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  ministered  to  them  for  nearly 
nine  years,  till  1814.  (Minutes  of  New  Jersey  Association,  1815,  page  7). 
Mr.  McGowan  was  a  noble  minister  of  the  Gospel  and  was  in  his  day, 
named  a  "soul  winner."  His  work  was  ended  on  earth  on  his  journey 
west  by  the  overturning  of  a  wagon  in  which  he  was  fatally  hurt.  He 
died  June  8th,  1814. 

The  revered  John  Sisty  of  Mount  Holly  took  the  pastoral  office 
in  1815,  preaching  once  each  month.  Prosperity  was  enjoyed  up  to 
March  1819,  when  he  resigned.  On  June  6th,  1818,  nine  were  dis- 
missed to  organize  a  church  at  Haddonfield.  Mr.  Sisty  had  been 
preaching  there  for  more  than  a  year,  and  in  September  1818,  began 
his  remarkable  charge  of  Haddonfield  church.  He  always  had  a  large 
place  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  where  he  labored.  He  will  always 
be  included  among  the  men  whom  the  King  had  delighted  in  and  whom 
the  churches  valued  for  wisdom,  devotion,  and  sterling  integrity  in 
any  and  in  all  conditions.. 

Peter  Powell  was  another  of  those  quiet,  modest  men,  whose  name 
never  got  in  newspapers.  They  could  wait  for  the  indorsement  coming 
at  the  last,  from  the  King  of  Zion.     Three  times,  Mr.  Powell  came  to 


192  NEW  JEHSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

the  help  of  the  chureh.  He  was  one  of  the  ministers  ready  at  their 
owai  cost  to  do  what  the}-  could  to  help  a  struggling  church.  He  supplied 
the  church  continuously  at  his  own  cost  and  for  a  compensation  of 
one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents,  each  Lord's  Day  as  the  funds  allowed. 

For  five  years,  from  about  1S25,  the  records  are  blank  and  for 
eight  years,  there  were  no  mentions  of  a  baptism.  Nevertheless, 
there  "were  a  few  names  for  they  are  worthy."  The  members  met 
and  prayed  and  in  due  time  their  praters  were  answered.  Rev. 
Joseph  Sheppard  came  to  their  help  in  December,  1829,  and  with  great 
self-sacrifice,  minist<-red  to  the  church,  until  June,  1834.  In  these  five 
years,  a  new  era  began.  Mr.  Sheppard  may  be  justly  esteemed  as 
one  of  the  Fathers  to  this  Israel.  A  Sunday  Scliool  was  begun.  Mr. 
Samuel  Hervcy  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained  at  the  close 
of  Mr.  Sheppard's  service.  He  had  been  Mr.  Sheppard's  assistant. 
After  nearly  four  years  of  acceptable  service,  Mr.  Hervey  resigned 
and  went  west.  Rev.  Mr.  M.  S.  Earl  was  pastor  for  one  year,  1838. 
In  this  year,  a  re\aval  began  new  life  in  the  church. 

A  large  number  of  nearby  Baptist  residents,  members  of  neigh- 
boring churches  joined  Marlton  church.  These  additions  involved  a 
larger  church  edifice  located  in  the  village  of  Marlton.  Among  those 
who  returned  to  Marlton,  was  Charles  Kain.  He  had  been  dismissed 
to  constitute  Haddonfield  church.  His  memory  will  be  cherished  in 
that  region  as  a  sjmonj'm  for  goodness,  enterprise  and  devotion  to 
every  interest  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  not  alone  on  Baptist  lines,  for 
he  was  a  Baptist  of  the  straightest  sort.  But  everywhere  and  with 
all,  sought  first  the  kingdom  of  God.  In  August  1839,  the  church 
decided  to  build  a  house  of  worship  in  the  A-illage  of  Marlton  and  in 
June  31st,  1840,  it  was  dedicated.  Rev.  J.  M.  Courtney  was  called  to 
be  pastor  in  connection  with  Moorestown  church.  This  joint  pastorate 
lasted  till  July  1841.  Then  the  pastor  was  taken  with  the  "'western 
fever"  and  went  thither. 

Total  abstinence  from  all  intoxicants  as  a  beverage,  was  adopted 
as  a  condition  of  membership  in  1840.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year, 
mission  work  was  begun  at  Tansboro,  that  issued  in  the  organization 
of  a  church.  About  the  same  time,  mission  work  was  begun  at  Med- 
ford  and  in  the  14th  of  February,  1841,  sixteen  members  were  dis- 
missed to  constitute  the  Medford  church.  A  temporary  stay  by  one 
CJilled  to  the  pastorate  continued  to  January  1842.  After  that,  until 
June  supplies  served  the  church,  when  Rev.  I.  W.  Hayhurst  entered 
the  pastorate.  He  stayed  less  than  two  years.  The  Tansboro  church 
was  constituted  at  the  close  of  January  1844;  eighteen  being  dis- 
missed from   Marlton   for  that   purpose.     Following   Mr.    Hayhurst, 


MARLTON  193 

A.  M.  Tyler  was  ordained  in  May  1844.  In  the  next  July,  22nd,  he 
died.  Rev.  J.  M.  Challis  entered  as  pastor  of  both  Marlton  and  Moores- 
town  churches  in  April  1845  and  retained  his  relation  to  the  churches 
for  seven  years.  The  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  Marlton  in 
that  year.  When  Pastor  Challis  resigned,  the  church  decided  to  main- 
tain its  pastor  independently.  Rev.  C.  E.  Wilson  having  ministered 
to  the  church  for  a  year  from  June  1852,  While  pastor,  a  season  of 
revival  was  enjoyed. 

The  small  salaries  and  the  growing  children  who  ought  to  be 
educated  often  made  the  minister's  life  a  trial  to  himself  and  to  a 
church.  Both,  however,  endured  the  hardship.  Mercenary  motives 
are  attributed  to  pastors,  in  accepting  a  larger  salary,  when  in  fact, 
it  is  a  duty  done  at  the  cost  of  many  a  heart  ache. 

On  October  2nd,  1853,  Rev.  J.  R.  Murphy  accepted  the  charge 
of  the  church  and  held  it  for  six  hears,  with  great  benefit  to  the  church. 
In  June  1856,  the  church  suffered  a  great  loss  in  the  death  of  Deacon 
Charles  Kain.  His  influence  and  character  had  been  of  untold  worth 
to  Haddonfield  church  of  which  he  was  a  constituent.  It  had  been 
also  an  unspeakable  gift  to  Marlton  church.  But  good  men  must 
needs  die  and  receive  their  reward  from  Him,  who  knows  them  and 
their  worth. 

In  January  1860,  Rev.  E.  M.  Barker  settled  as  pastor.  A  mission 
Sunday  school  was  begun  this  year  at  Evesboro;  another  at  Medford 
in  1863.  Mr.  Barker  resigned  in  1863.  On  the  next  January  1864, 
Rev.  R.  S.  James  entered  the  pastorate.  In  the  winter  of  1865-6, 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism,  a  fruit 
of  a  revival.  Mr.  James  closed  his  oversight  in  September  1867  and 
was  followed  by  Rev.  M.  Jones,  who  again  resigned  about  1870.  Mr. 
T.  L.  Bailey  was  ordained  in  July  1871  and  became  pastor.  His 
infirmities  seriously  impaired  his  ministry.  On  account  of  his  broken 
health,  he  closed  his  labors  at  Marlton  in  1873,  but  supplied  the  church 
until  June  1874.  Then  Rev.  A.  B.  Still  became  pastor.  Various 
improvements  in  the  church  edifice  and  in  the  grounds  were  effected 
in  this  pastorate,  which  continued  until  December  1877.  The  next 
April  1878,  Pastor  Bray  entered  the  pastoral  office,  holding  it  till 
January  1884,  when  Rev.  W.  W.  Bullock  followed  in  1884,  ministering 
until  1887.  By  the  next  July,  Rev.  G.  B.  Young  was  pastor  for  two 
years.  Him,  Rev.  C.  W.  O.  Nyce  succeeded  in  June  1889  and  was 
pastor  in  1900;  a  long  pastorate  for  Marlton  and  corresponding  in 
length  with  the  first,  Mr.  McGowan. 

Marlton  is  a  rural  church.  Many  instances  occur  in  our  churches 
of  the  influence  for  good  of  an  individiual.     Of  these,  was  Deacon 


194  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Charles  Kain.  Those  of  us  who  knew  him  will  ever  remember  his 
genial,  staunch  and  forceful  Christian  character.  He  was  an  under- 
standing Baptist  and  such  Baptists  as  he  was  are  always  a  power  for 
good.  Positive,  bold  and  yet  kind;  his  memorj'  and  work  will  be 
a  stimulant  to  those  who  knew  it,  to  do  and  be,  the  best  for  Christ  and 
humanity. 

Marlton  church  has  had  nineteen  pastors.  Deacon  Elijah  Bryant 
was  licensed,  ordained  and  pastor  in  two  churches  that  colonized  from 
Marlton.  The  church  has  had  two  meeting  houses,  one  built  in  1805, 
another  erected  in  Marlton  village.  Four  churches  have  gone  out  of 
Marlton,  Haddonfield,  Medford,  Tansboro  and  Berlin.  Chapels  were 
built  in  Medford  and  in  Tansboro  and  a  parsonage  in  Marlton  in  1860. 
The  earliest  Baptist  ministers  in  this  field  were  from  Pemberton  and 
by  Pastor  McGowan,  Isaac  Carlisle  and  Benjamin  Hedger,  licentiates 
of  Pemberton,  were  great  helps  to  their  pastor  in  his  work.  In  the 
decade  1801-10,  three  Baptist  churches  were  constituted,  Burlington, 
Mount  Holly,  and  Marlton. 

A  characteristic  of  the  state;  Hezekiah  Smith  in  New  England; 
John  Gano  in  New  York  and  the  West  and  the  numerous  appointments 
of  New  Jersey  pastors  sent  by  the  Philadelphia  Association  on  Mission- 
ary tours  to  the  South  and  West,  is  a  sufficient  explanation.  In  their 
earliest  movement,  the  New  Jersey  churches  preferred  the  whole  cause 
to  themselves;  as  is  shown  by  the  constitution  of  the  Philadelphia 
Association,  made  up  as  it  was  by  three  churches  in  New  Jersey,  one 
in  Delaware  and  one  in  Pennsylvania.  The  new  Jersey  Baptists 
giving  up  their  choice  of  name  for  the  good  of  Baptists  in  general, 
with  the  result  that  the  influence  of  the  body  was  diverted  from  them 
and  their  local  unity  was  absorbed  in  foreign  interests.  Nevertheless, 
New  Jersey  Baptists  churches  retained  a  majority  in  that  Association 
for  forty  years.  Neither  was  it  until  1811,  that  there  was  a  concen- 
tration in  the  state  in  behalf  of  home  interests. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


HADDONFIELD,  MOORESTOWN  AND  RELATED  CHURCHES. 

Baptist  activities  at  Haddonfield  began  with  a  woman.  Women 
have  been  a  significant  force  in  the  growth  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in 
the  world.  Malignant  contempt  for  the  churches  has  been  expressed 
by  assertions  that  women  were  a  large  majority  of  them.  They  are. 
For  morality  and  Godliness  they  always  have  been  a  vast  majority. 
Men  are  a  vast  majority  of  the  drunkards,  of  criminals  and  reprobates. 
There  was  but  one  Apostle  at  the  cross,  but  the  three  Marys  were  there. 
The  crisis  in  human  history  was  in  the  reign  of  Constantino,  when  the 
question  was,  whether  Paganism  or  Christianity  should  be  the  faith 
of  the  palace  and  of  the  throne.  The  decision,  which  changed  the 
destinies  of  humanity  and  gave  to  mankind  all  we  have  of  civilization 
and  Christianity  worth  having,  came  from  the  Christian  Baptist  Welsh 
wife,  a  princess  in  her  native  land,  so  historians  say. 

Few  changes  in  the  working  economy,  both  of  our  churches  and  m 
our  country  have  been  more  extreme  than  that  concerning  women. 
In  1817,  Lettice  Evans,  a  woman  living  in  Haddonfield,  requested 
Rev.  John  Sisty  to  come  to  Haddonfield  and  preach.  She  offered  her 
own  house  in  which  to  hold  the  meeting.  It  seems,  however,  that  on 
May  17th,  1817,  he  preached  in  the  school  house,  from  Heb.  4:12.  So 
much  interest  was  shown  that  Mr.  Sisty  made  regular  appointments 
for  two  Lord's  Days  in  each  month  until  on  the  11th  of  June  1818, 
when  a  council  met  in  a  grove  and  ten  Baptists  were  constituted  into 
the  Haddonfield  Baptist  church.  Nine  of  these  were  from  Evesham 
(Marlton)  church.  Rev.  H.  Holcombe  of  the  first  Baptist  church  of 
Philadelphia  preached.  Among  those  from  Marlton  church,  was 
Charles  Kain,  Sr.  He  was  chosen  one  of  the  deacons  holding  the  office 
till  his  return  to  Marlton  church  in  1839.  Mr.  Sisty  was  not  a  con- 
stituent of  Haddonfield  church.  Later,  when  called  to  be  its  pastor, 
he  brought  his  letter  from  Marlton.  Mr.  Sisty  was  a  small  man,  hesi- 
tating and  slow  of  speech.  Personally,  he  reminded  one  of  Paul's 
description  of  himself  in  II  Cor.  10:10.  But  he  was  devoted  and  an 
able  man  that  won  and  kept  the  confidence  of  every  one.  He  had 
been  baptized  by  Rev.  Thomas  Ustic,  pastor  of  the  first  Baptist  church 
of  Philadelphia.  This  accounted  for  his  strong  and  tender  sympathy 
with  that  church  and  its  pastor,  H.  Holcombe,  in  its  trials  with  the 
Philadelphia  Association.     In  business  in  Philadelphia,  Mr.  Sisty  had 


lOG  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

gained  a  competence  which  enabled  him  to  give  efficient  aid  to  many 
weak  churches,  bringing  them  to  strength. 

About  five  months  after  Mr.  Sisty  had  preached  his  first  sermon 
in  May  1817,  steps  were  taken  to  build  a  house  of  worship,  anticipating 
an  organization  of  a  church.  Subscriptions  were  made  to  build  a 
"Baptist  meeting  house."  The  lot  was  bought  and  a  brick  building 
erected  which  was  dedicated  November  24,  1818.  Rev.  H.  Holcombe 
preached,  Mr.  Sisty  getting  the  ablest  preacher  of  the  denomination, 
as  a  representative  of  it. 

Midway  between  the  organization  of  the  church,  the  dedication 
of  its  house,  converts  were  won  and  baptized  and  relationship  to  "them 
that  were  without,  were  impressed  upon  his  hearers  and  collections 
were  ordered  to  be  taken  to  give  the  Gospel  to  the  destitute."  In 
these  days,  the  "laying  on  of  hands"  upon  the  baptized  on  their  ad- 
mission to  the  church  was  hotly  disputed.  Some  members  claimed  that 
this  was  an  ordinance  and  left  the  church  because  Mr.  Sisty  did  not 
observe  it.  The  church  refused  to  be  divided  on  a  question  so  obscure 
and  left  the  matter  to  "the  decision  of  the  pastor  and  of  the  con- 
verts." Mr.  Sisty  was  a  pastor  to  whom  opportunity  was  the  only 
limitation.  An  "open  door"  drew  him  to  Moorestown  in  1836,  and 
many  souls  were  won  there  to  Christ.  After  being  pastor  at  Haddon- 
field  twenty-one  years,  Mr.  Sisty  resigned  in  1839.  He  died  in  1863, 
being  eighty  years  old.  In  these  twenty-four  years,  by  his  means, 
his  counsils  and  preaching,  he  was  a  great  blessing  to  needy  and  troubled 
churches. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Park,  who  followed  him  at  Haddonfield,  had  the  pas- 
toral care  there  for  a  year,  closing  his  labors  in  1840.  In  that  year, 
Rev.  C.  E.  Wilson  settled  as  pastor  and  resigned  after  four  years  in 
which  many  were  baptized.  The  next  eighteen  months,  Rev.  M. 
Eastwood  ministered  to  the  church.  In  May  1847,  Rev.  Caprion 
occupied  the  office  of  pastor  till  ill  health  compelled  his  resignation. 
Rev.  W.  H.  Brisbane  was  a  supply  in  Mr.  Caprion's  illness  and  suc- 
ceeded him  till  September  1848.  For  several  months,  W.  D.  Hires 
supplied  the  church. 

The  succession  of  pastors  was  A.  S.  Patton  in  the  spring  of  1851. 
Under  whose  ministry,  the  congregations  outgrew  the  capacity  of  the 
church  edifice  and  it  was  decided  to  build  a  larger  one.  On  January 
12th,  1853,  the  lecture  room  was  occupied.  As  a  fruit  of  special 
meetings,  numerous  baptisms  were  enjoyed.  Mr.  Patton  closed  hi 
labors  at  Haddonfield  in  1854.  Another  annual  pastorate  by  Rev. 
A.  Lathem  occurred,  closing  in  1856.     A  like  annual  charge  followed 


IIADDONFIELD  197 

by  Rev.  J.  D.  Meeson  ending  in  1857.  Rev.  J.  E.  Wilson  was  pastor 
1857-61,  taking  a  chaplaincy  in  the  army. 

On  January  1st,  1862,  Rev.  R.  F.  Young  entered  on  pjistoral 
charge.  A  new  order  began  with  his  coming.  He  included  the  su- 
rounding  country  in  his  field.  Within  a  short  time  he  had  five  mission 
Sunday  schools.  The  house  of  worship  was  improved  at  large  cost 
and  the  mortgage  paid.  A  parsonage  was  bought  and  put  in  complete 
condition  from  a  work  of  grace.  The  pastor  baptized  eighty-eight. 
Nor  was  Mr.  Young  limited  to  home  interests.  The  benevolence  of 
the  church  increased  fourfold.  Mr.  Young  was  a  member  of  the  State 
Boards  of  Missions  and  of  Education  while  a  resident  of  the  state. 
He  laid  the  foundations  of  the  remarkable  outgrowth  of  the  church 
under  his  successor.  Mr.  Young  died  January  5th,  1884,  closing  a 
pastorate  eminent  among  eminent  pastorates  in  New  Jersey. 

On  the  ensuing  1st  of  May,  1884,  Rev.  H.  A.  Griesemer  entered 
upon  the  charge  of  the  church.  The  enlarged  congregations  made 
necessary  for  the  third  time,  a  larger  house  of  worship.  A  more  central 
site  was  chosen  and  the  present  beautiful  sanctuary  was  built  in  1885-6, 
costing  forty  thousand  dollars  and  opened  for  worship  October  17th. 
A  chapel  at  Ellisburg  was  built  in  1886,  costing  one  thousand  dollars 
and  paid  for.  A  chapel  at  Mount  Ephraim  was  put  up  in  1887  at  a 
cost  of  twenty-five  hundred  dollars.  The  parsonage  deljt  of  twenty- 
five  hundred  dollars  was  paid  in  1888.  In  1889,  ten  members 
were  dismissed  to  constitute  a  church  at  Collingswood.  Next 
3'ear,  1890,  the  John  Sisty  memorial  chapel  was  built  on  the  site  of 
the  old  house  of  worship  at  a  cost  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  also  a 
chapel  at  Magnolia  for  twenty-five  hundred  dollars.  In  1891,  a  chapel 
for  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  was  erected  at  Hillman's  and  in  1893,  the 
mortgage  debt  of  ten  thousand  and  six  hundred  dollars  on  the  new 
church  edifice  was  paid  and  the  house  formally  dedicated.  One 
hundred  and  four  were  baptized  in  1894.  Twenty-five  members 
were  dismissed  to  form  a  church  at  Mount  Ephraim  in  1895.  A  mission 
Sunday  school  was  begun  at  Haddon  Heights  in  1897  and  in  1898,  a 
chapel  was  built  there  costing  thirty-five  hundred  dollars  and  eighteen 
members  dismissed  to  form  a  church  there.  Mt.  Olivet  (colored) 
was  established  in  1892  and  their  meeting  house  was  largely  built  by 
first  Haddonfield  church.  It  cost  two  thousand  dollars.  A  goodly 
number  of  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  Large  sums  have 
been  given  for  world-wide  missions.  Pastor  Griesemer  held  his  office 
till  April,  1900,  having  been  pastor  sixteen  years. 

Haddonfield  has  had  three  houses  of  worship  and  has  built  seven 
chapels  for  mission  schools  and  the  house  of  worship  for  Olivet  church. 


198  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Seven  colonies  have  gone  out  from  Haddonfield,  organizing  churches, 
one  of  which, — in  Newton — disbanded.  The  first  house  of  worship  at 
Moorestown,  was  in  part  largely  paid  for  by  the  mother  church.  No  hu- 
man estimate  can  be  made  of  the  value  of  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Young; 
the  Sunday  schools  he  established  were  the  beginning  and  foundation 
of  the  colonies,  subsequently  sent  out  and  Haddonfield  church  owes  a 
vast  obligation  to  him  and  to  Mr.  Sisty,  its  founder. 

The  section  about  Moorestown  has  several  other  churches  than 
the  Baptist  church  there.  On  this  account,  the  church  in  the  town 
is  limited  to  the  immediate  locality.  But  the  town  is  attractive  and 
grows,  inviting  residents  from  abroad.  Baptist  meetings  had  been 
held  long  before  the  church  was  formed.  A  daughter  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Ustic,  once  pastor  of  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Philadelphia,  lived 
in  the  village.  Her  "latch  string"  was  always  out  for  Baptist  ministers. 
Her  husband,  a  member  of  another  denomination,  cheerfully  welcomed 
those  of  his  wife's  fellowship.  Mr.  Sisty  had  been  baptized  by  this 
lady's  father  and  came  often  to  the  town  to  preach  and  while  pastor  at 
Haddonfield,  had  regular  appointments  at  Moorestown.  The  first 
man  whom  he  baptized  there  was  Charles  Kain,  Jr.,  son  of  Deacon 
Charles  Kain  of  his  church  in  Haddonfield.  Mr.  Kain,  Jr.,  later  entered 
the  ministry. 

Those  baptized  at  Moorestown  united  at  Haddonfield  and  in 
April  1837,  C.  Kain,  Jr.,  asked  the  Haddonfield  church  for  the  letters 
of  thirty  members  to  constitute  a  church  at  Moorestowni.  These 
with  two  others  from  Marlton  church,  in  all,  thirty-two  organized 
the  Moorestown  church  on  May  6th,  1837.  At  its  first  business  meet- 
ing, a  pledge  was  adopted  to  abstain  from  the  habitual  use  of  intoxi- 
cants as  a  beverage,  and  required  a  like  pledge  from  all  applying  for 
membership  in  the  church.  This  action  was  taken  early  in  the  tem- 
perance movement.  Measures  were  at  once  taken  to  erect  a  house 
of  worship,  with  such  success  that  it  was  dedicated  in  August  1838. 
Rev.  J.  M.  Courtney  had  aided  Mr.  Sisty  in  continuous  meetings  held 
previous  to  the  organization  of  the  church  and  when  these  were  closed 
maintained  Baptist  meetings  in  the  place,  relieving  Mr.  Sisty,  who  was 
now,  nearing  seventy  3^ears  of  age,  of  the  added  duties  of  his  charge  and 
at  the  constitution  of  the  church,  was  its  first  pastor.  Mr.  Courtney 
was  an  able  devoted  pastor  for  nearly  five  years,  resigning  in  1841. 
For  the  ensuing  months,  Rev.  J.  Wigg  supplied  the  church,  also.  Rev. 
Ezekiel  Sexton  served  as  supply  for  months.  Thus  nearly  three  years 
passed.  Mr.  Sexton  was  the  same  type  of  man  as  Mr.  Sisty  and  Mr. 
Powell  in  being  above  the  necessity  of  a  salary. 

In  1845,  Marlton  and  Moorestowm  churches  united  to  obtain  the 


MOORESTOWN  199 

joint  pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Challis,  an  arrangement  that 
lasted  seven  years  and  was  profitable  to  both  churches.  Mr.  Challis 
thought  that  each  church  ought  to  have  its  own  pastor  and  resigned 
in  1852;  characteristic  of  all  of  Mr.  Challis's  pastorates,  the  churches 
had  grown  in  all  the  elements  of  efficiency.  After  awhile,  Rev.  E.  D. 
Fendall  followed  at  Moorestown  and  was  pastor  for  twelve  years, 
closing  his  labors  at  Moorestown  in  1864.  Succeeding  pastors  were, 
Miller  Jones,  1864-68;  J.  E.  Bradley.  While  pastor,  the  old  place 
of  worship  was  torn  down  and  a  larger  and  better  one  built  and  the 
basement  was  in  use  before  Pastor  Bradley  resigned  in  1873.  Twenty 
seven  members  were  also  dismissed  in  1870  to  constitute  the  Fellowship- 
church.  That  body  dissolved  in  1875,  the  members  returning  to  the 
mother  church.  But  a  mission  was  made  at  the  chapel  in  which  the 
Fellowship  church  had  worshiped.  J.  H.  Brittain  1873-82,  nine  years. 
Pastor  E.  McMinn  entered  on  his  duties  in  January  1883.  A  mission 
was  begun  at  Mount  Laurel  in  1883  and  another  at  Hartford  in  1886. 
These  included  a  Sunday  school,  preaching  and  devotional  meetings. 
In  May  1890,  Mr.  McMinn  surrendered  his  pastoral  charge  and  was 
followed  by  Rev.  W.  T.  S.  Lumbar  in  1890,  who  is  pastor  in  1900. 

Moorestown  church  is  indebted  for  its  existence  to  pastor  Sisty 
of  Haddonfield,  to  whose  labors,  C.  Kain,  Jr.,  added  his  efficient  efforts 
to  perfect  the  plans  of  Mr.  Sisty.  Moorestown  has  had  ten  pastors. 
Mr.  Lumbar  has  been  in  office  ten  years  to  1900.  Two  church  edifices 
have  been  in  use.  Several  have  been  licensed  to  preach;  of  them  were 
C.  Kain  Jr.,  two  brothers,  J.  N.  and  A.  H.  Folwell;  both  licensed  and 
ordained  at  Moorestown.  The  entire  region  for  a  circuit  of  many 
miles  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia  has  been  settled  by  "Friends" 
(Quakers).  The  difference  in  their  ideas  of  the  ordinances  and  of 
ours,  was  a  hindrance  to  our  growth  in  their  neighborhood,  never- 
theless, their  consent  that  the  only  scriptural  baptism  was  a  burial 
in  water,  put  us  on  a  better  relation  to  them  than  other  denominations. 
Besides,  they  and  we  had  suffered  persecutions  as  the  champions  of 
religious  liberty  and  of  equality  before  the  law  and  of  the  right  to 
exercise  private  opinions  on  any  and  all  subjects  and  this  gave  us  a 
hold  upon  them  which  they  recognized  and  thus  there  are  but  few 
towns  and  Quaker  strongholds  where  we  do  not  have  strong  churches. 
The  writer  recalls  times  in  which  "Friends"  and  Baptists  were  domi- 
nant in  West  Jersey.  The  loss  of  Hopewell  and  other  schools  and  the 
persistence  of  Presbyterian  educational  facilities  changed  the  order  of 
past  times. 

When  Moorestown  had  been  equipped  for  the  offices  of  a  church, 
Haddonfield  dismissed  eighteen  members  in  May  1843  to  form  the 


200  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Newlon  Baptist  church.  The  man,  John  Sisty,  widely  known  for  his 
helpfulness  to  young  and  struggling  churches,  was  pastor  at  Newton 
the  first  year  of  its  life.  After  him,  another  of  the  same  stamp.  Rev. 
C.  Sexton,  in  place  of  waiting  for  a  call,  himself  called  the  church.  Soon 
after  his  settlement  the  church  built  a  meeting  house  and  reported  to 
the  .i^^sociation  of  it:  "The  expenses  of  which  are  mostly  paid."  No 
doubt  there  good  ministers  did  their  share  of  this  undertaking.  Mr. 
Sisty  and  these  Sextons,  originally  of  Jacobstown  church,  Charles 
and  Ezekiel,  were  noble  men,  counting  nothing,  given  or  suffered  for 
Christ  loss.  They  preferred  a  lowly  place  wth  such  churches  than 
higher  positions  They  had  their  reward  in  the  lofty  appreciation 
of  their  brethren  and  the  memory  of  him  who  knew  their  work,  and 
now  they  have  the  dignities  which  they  enjoy  "on  high."  Mr.  Sexton 
was  pastor  five  years,  resigning  in  July  1850.  Rev.  Mr.  Patton  followed 
Mr.  Sexton  closing  his  labors  in  1854.  He  supplied  the  church  how- 
ever, till  the  end  of  1856.  The  name  of  the  church  disappears  from 
the  minutes  of  the  Association  in  1857.  Next  year  it  is  stated  that  the 
church  had  disbanded. 

Ten  members  of  Haddonfield  church  Ln  August  1889,  were  dis- 
missed to  organize  a  Baptist  church  at  CoUingswood.  Rev.  W.  F. 
Smith  became  its  pastor  in  May  1890.  A  neat  and  commodious  house 
of  worship  was  begun  soon  after  the  constitution  of  the  church  and 
was  dedicated  in  October  1890.  Pastor  Smith  resigned  in  September 
1892.  Two  months  later.  Rev.  G.  B.  Morse  settled  as  pastor.  Again, 
in  1894,  Rev.  A.  D.  Nichols  entered  the  pastorate.  In  1899,  Rev. 
J.  M.  Ashton  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor  and  was  in  office  in  1900. 
Originally,  a  mission  of  Hoddonfield  church  and  with  a  small  member- 
ship, they  built  a  fitting  sanctuary  and  increased  ninety-eight  mem- 
bers in  two  years,  sustaining  themselves.  A  creditable  record  and 
e\'incing  a  courage  which  justified  the  movement. 

An  Afro  American  church,  located  in  Haddonfield,  was  instituted 
in  1892.  This  body  received  ample  aid  to  build  their  meeting  house 
from  the  first  church.  Rev.  J.  P.  Gregory  became  pastor  in  1893 
and  in  1900  was  still  pastor,  seven  years.  There  is  a  lack  in  the  pub- 
lished records  of  Mount  Olivet.  Enough  however,  is  known  to  assure 
confidence  in  its  well  being.  Its  pastor's  long  settlement  is  a  token  for 
good  to  himself  and  to  the  people  of  his  charge. 

A  mission  of  first  Haddonfield  grew  into  the  Magnolia  Baptist 
church  in  1894.  The  mission  Sunday  school  begun  in  1880  under 
Pastor  Young  was  nurtured  until  1891,  when  a  chapel  was  built  at  a 
cost  of  twenty-five  hundred  dollars.  The  Magnolia  church  was  organ- 
ized in  1S94,  with  thirteen  members.     Rev.  T.  R.  Rowe  was  pastor 


MOUNT  EPHHAIM  AND   HADDONFIELD  HEIGHTS     201 

from  then  to  August  1896,  when  sickness  made  a  change  of  pastors 
necessary.  While  Mr.  Rowe  was  pastor,  the  debt  on  the  church 
edifice  was  paid.  S.  R.  Wood  followed  as  pastor  the  same  year. 
Financial  burdens  were  very  serious  at  this  time.  But  the  Camden 
Association  gave  needful  aid  to  its  young  churches,  effecting  thus, 
the  chief  aim  of  Association  relationship.  Pastor  Wood's  health 
failed  and  he  resigned  in  1899.  Despite  adversities,  the  members  of 
the  church  increased  to  fifty-seven  and  all  current  expenses  were 
paid. 

Haddonfield  sent  out  another  colony  in  two  years,  which  became 
the  Mount  Ephraim  church.  Twenty-three  constituents  composed 
it.  Previously  in  1887,  a  chapel  had  been  erected.  Rev.  A.  E.  Finn 
was  the  first  pastor,  resigning  in  1897  and  was  followed  by  Mr.  D.  E. 
Lewis,  who  served  the  church  for  a  year.  Then  Mr.  J.  T.  Anderson 
settled  in  1899  and  was  pastor  in  1900.  Since  the  organization  of 
the  church  its  membership  has  doubled  and  all  debts  on  the  property 
are  paid. 

This  mission  was  the  first  established  after  Mr.  Griesemer  followed 
Pastor  Young  at  Haddonfield.  Of  necessity,  the  field  about  Haddon- 
field had  been  thoroughly  occupied  by  Mr.  Young.  Haddon  Heights, 
however,  had  grown  into  a  populous  location.  Since  Mr.  Young  had 
died,  a  mission  Sunday  school  that  had  been  begun  in  1897  and  for 
which  a  modest  meeting  house  was  built  in  1898,  had  prospered. 
That  year,  eighteen  members  were  dismissed  to  constitute  a  church 
there.  The  church  lias  prospered  and  is  growing.  The  local  mem- 
bership, anticipating  increased  strength  by  being  an  independent 
church,  overcame  the  objections  of  Pastor  Griesemer  to  an  early 
church  organization.  Mr.  T.  H.  Sprague  became  pastor  in  1898  and 
in  1900  was  occupying  the  place. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


MEDFORD,    VINCEXTOWN  AND  BERLIN. 

Of  the  twenty-three  constituents  of  the  Medford  church,  sixteen 
came  from  Marlton;  four  from  Haddonfield;  one  from  Philadelphia, 
one  whom  Mr.  Sisty  had  baptized,  but  had  not  joined  a  Baptist  church. 
Mr.  Sisty  was  the  first  Baptist  minister  to  preach  at  or  near  to  Med- 
ford. Mr.  Sisty  preached  in  homes  and  in  the  summer  of  1839,  in  a 
grove  near  Medford.  The  Medford  church  was  organized  on  February 
25th,  1841.  About  two  years  after  the  meeting  in  1841,  a  house  of 
worship  was  built.  Worthless  subscriptions  for  the  building  subjected 
the  property  to  a  heavy  debt  and  it  was  sold  by  the  sheriff.  James 
Logan  and  Judge  Swain,  members  of  Pemberton  church,  bought  the 
property;  by  the  kindness  of  these  men  the  church  occupied  it. 

Years  after  the  death  of  Judge  Swain,  Mr.  Logan  met  one  of  the 
executors  of  the  Judge's  estate  and  asked  the  executors  to  join  him 
and  to  transfer  the  property  to  the  church.  They  did  and  the  church 
received  the  property  entirely  free  of  all  incumbrance,  these  brethren 
giving  both  the  cost  of  the  property  to  them  as  well  as  the  interest  of 
the  money  they  bought  it  for,  until  they  returned  it  to  the  church. 

The  pastors  have  been,  J.  M.  Carpenter,  1841-45;  jointly  with 
Vincentown;  George  Sleeper,  1847-49;  J.  M.  Cochran,  1850-52;  J. 
Thorn,  1853-54;  T.  W.  Sheppard  supply  to  1857;  John  Todd,  1858-63. 
Mr.  Briant.  A  colony  to  form  a  church  went  out  1865.  Mr.  Briant  went 
with  the  colony.  He  had  been  a  deacon  of  Marlton  and  was  ordained 
when  sixty  years  old  and  died  February  20th  1867,  sLxty-four  years 
old.  Medford  was  his  first  pastorate  and  was  an  outgrowth  of  his 
labors,  his  second  charge.  He  was  a  man  of  real  devotion  and  much 
beloved.  Walter  Patton,  1868;  W.  G.  Coulter,  1869;  J.  M.  Craner, 
1872-77.  In  a  revival  while  pastor,  many  were  baptized.  L.  H. 
Copeland,  1879;  E.  K.  Bailey,  1880-83;  W.  F.  Smith,  ordained  in  the 
spring  of  1884-86;  W.  H.  Beach,  1886;  J.  M.  Lyons,  1887-90;  W.  A. 
Leak,  1890;  K.  Walling,  1891-95.  A  lot  was  bought  and  a  new  meeting 
house  built  and  dedicated  in  1894.     J.  W.  Francis,  1896-1900. 

Medford  has  had  twenty  pastors;  one  died.  Mr.  Carpenter,  Mr. 
Sleeper  and  Mr.  Briant  were  very  useful  at  Medford.  Mr.  Todd  had 
the  longest  pastorate.  One  colony  went  out  from  Medford.  Two 
houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use  at  Medford.  Latterly,  the  church 
has  been  in  financial  straits,  due  to  anti-Baptist  views.     These  financial 


VINCENTOWN  203 

difficulties  have  been  removed  through  the  agency  of  Rev.  D.  DeWolf, 
superintendent  of  missions  of  the  State  Convention,  chiefly  by  means 
of  Rev.  J.  E.  R.  Folsom,  evangelist  and  Sunday  school  missionary  of 
the  State  Convention. 

While  David  and  John  Brainerd  were  missionaries  to  the  Dela- 
ware Indians,  a  meeting  bouse  was  built  for  their  worship.  The  tribe 
dwindled  to  two  and  had  no  more  use  for  the  sanctuary.  The  people 
of  Vincentown  bought  it  and  moved  it  into  the  village.  Thenceforth, 
it  was  kno^\^l  as  the  "Free  Meeting  house"  and  was  used  by  all  denom- 
inations for  worship.  Pastors  of  the  Pemberton  church  preached  in 
in  more  than  others.  Rev.  Alexander  McGowan  of  Pemberton,  was 
the  first  Baptist  to  preach  in  it. 

Mr.  McGowan  ha  been  introduced  to  Pemberton  by  Rev.  Peter 
Wilson  of  Hightstown;  his  successors,  especially  John  Rogers,  made 
regular  appointments  at  Vincentown  every  month.  Rev.  C.  W. 
Mulford,  who  followed  Mr.  Rogers,  continued  to  preach  at  Vincentown 
and  Baptists  gained  rapidly,  and  within  a  short  time  a  Baptist  church 
became  necessary.  Accordingly,  on  September  19th,  1834,  twenty- 
nine  members  of  Pemberton  were  dismissed  to  constitute  a  Baptist 
church  at  Vincentown.  Soon  after  its  organization,  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  build  a  house  of  worship,  which  was  duly  completed. 
Mr.  Mulford  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  so  far  as  he  could  consistently 
with  his  pastoral  duties  at  Pemberton,  supplied  the  church  at  Vin- 
centown. After  a  period  of  supplies,  Rev.  WiUiam  Smith  became 
pastor  in  1837,  remaining  until  1840.  Being  an  eminently  good  man, 
he  enjoyed  universal  respect  and  the  church  prospered  under  his 
ministries.  Rev.  J.  M.  Carpenter  followed  in  January  1841,  remaining 
till  1849.     Mr.  Carpenter  had  rare  gifts  as  a  statistitian  and  tabulist. 

New  Jersey  owes  him  a  vast  amount  for  his  work  on  these  lines.  Addi- 
tional to  Vincentown,  Mr.  Carpenter  was  the  first  pastor  of  Medford  Bap- 
tist church,  preaching  there  on  the  Lord's  Day  afternoon.  The  same  year 
in  which  he  resigned.  Pastor  J.  S.  Miller  settled  in  September,  remaining 
till  1855.  Mr.  Miller  was  useful  not  only  in  promoting  spirituality  in 
the  church,  i)ut  of  relieving  it  of  debts.  Rev.  J.  Thorn  followed  Mr. 
Miller  in  1855-70,  nearly  fifteen  years.  His  only  fault,  if  fault  it  was, 
was  his  extreme  modesty  and  diffidence.  A  parsonage  was  bought  and 
the  church  edifice  was  repaired  and  improved.  Rev.  J.  Bray  was 
pastor  1870-72.  Mr.  F.  O.  Ekins  was  ordained  and  pastor  1873-75. 
The  sympathies  of  the  people  went  to  their  old  pastor,  Rev.  James 
Thorn,  whom  they  recalled  and  he  returned  in  June  1875.  Death 
closed  his  earth  work  in  January  20th,  1881.  His  two  pastorates 
included  twenty  years.     Mr.  Thorn  was  a  true  man.     The  succession 


204  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  pastors  till  1900  was:  T.  A.  Floyd,  1882-3;  A.  H.  Bliss,  1884-87; 
H.  Hill,  1887-91;  W.  H.  Harrison  1892-94;  E.  D.  Shull,  1894-95;  W.  H. 
Harrson,  1895-1900.  Mr  Harrison  was  ordained  in  his  first  charge  in 
January  1892  and  was  the  second  pastor  recalled.  Both  Mr.  Thorn 
and  Mr.  Harrison  indicated  that  their  people  preferred  good  things  to 
new  things.  Few  can  know  a  pastor's  experience  amid  the  plodding 
of  farm  life  and  of  old  people,  who  if  not  born  tired,  grew  tired  with 
drudgery  or  his  experience  amid  the  aspirations  of  youth  for  school 
and  part  in  a  busy  world  and  who  are  replied  to  "I  had  no  larnin'  and 
I  have  got  on;  what  was  good  enough  for  me  is  good  enough  for  you." 
Pastors  wno  have  been  there  know  the  mountains  of  prej\idice  and 
of  hindrance,  encountered  in  prevailing  in  such  to  adopt  ideas  of 
progress.  It  is  a  satisfaction  that  changes  are  happening  in  rural 
districts.  Inquiry,  contact,  schools  are  having  vast  fruitage,  diffusing 
culture.  In  another  generation,  there  will  be  less  change  from  country 
to  town  and  clergymen  in  the  country  will  have  audiences  of  culture 
and  homes  of  refinement  which  will  afford  congenial  companionship 
and  an  appreciative  hearing.  Vincentown  has  had  fifteen  pastors. 
Two  of  them  have  had  a  second  charge.  Vincentown  is  a  colony  of 
Pemberton  and  has  been  a  great  stay  to  Medford. 

Berlin  is  in  Camden  county,  several  miles  from  the  sity  of  Cam- 
den. Deacon  Chalkley  Haines  of  Marlton  church  removed  to  Berlin 
also  Mr.  William  S.  Kain,  a  member  of  Marlton  church  and  began  a 
Sunday  school  in  the  town  hall  of  Berlin  on  June  23rd,  1867.  The 
Sunday  school  numbered  sixty  one  scholars  and  ten  teachers.  Deacon 
Haines  was  at  this  time  in  his  ninetieth  year.  The  Sunday  school 
grew  and  in  1869,  an  unused  Methodist  building  and  lot  were  bought 
and  paid  for. 

Pastor  Miller  Jones  of  Marlton  occasionally  preached  at  Berlin, 
until  in  June  1874,  the  Berlin  Baptist  church  was  organized  with 
nineteen  constituents  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  A.  J.  Hires. 
Deacon  Haines  was  the  means  of  the  organization  of  the  Fellowship 
church  in  co-operation  with  Pastor  Sisty  and  C.  Kain.  When  Mr. 
Hires  retired,  T.  W.  Wilkinson,  a  student,  supplied  the  Berlin  church 
and  in  1876,  was  ordained  and  became  pastor.  After  a  little,  illness 
compelled  him  to  resign  in  1881. 

Mr.  Samuel  Hughes,  a  student  ministered  with  great  success 
until  1884,  when  his  physician  warned  him  of  the  nearness  of  his 
death,  and  he  retired.  Loss  of  pastoral  care  is  rarely  made  up  by 
the  best  of  supplies;  as  in  married  life,  so  in  church  life.  Rev. 
Messrs  Powell  and  Raybold  did  well  and  much  good  resulted  from 
their  ministries  up  to  1894.     Deacon  Coxey  of  the  first  Baptist  church 


BERLIN  205 

of  Canuhai,  ;i(l(led  Berlin  to  the  long  list  of  young  churclies,  which 
he  delighted  to  aid  and  Mr.  Simmonds,  a  student,  was  secured.  lie 
laljored  with  success  for  two  )fears.  Mr.  J.  R.  Murdock,  a  student 
likev/ise,  continued  until  1898.  Another  student,  Mr.  H.  W.  Stringer, 
renewed  pastoral  labors  and  in  1899  entered  the  pastorate. 

In  1900,  a  chapel  in  West  Berlin  was  dedicated.     The  old  place 
of  worship  bought  in  the  beginning,  has  undergone  enlargements  and 
remodelling  so  thoroughly  that  it  would  not  be  recognized  in  its 
originality.     Instead    of    pastors,    students    have    mostly    ministered, 
who  young  and  earnest,  have  had  unusual  success  in  their  ministries. 


9^ 


CHAPTER  XX. 


COLUMBUS  AND  CHESTERFIELD. 

Columbus  church  was  derived  from  Pemberton  Baptist  church. 
Not  that  Pemberton  had  members  there,  nor  that  Pemberton  ex- 
pended her  resources  on  the  field,  but  that  her  pastor,  C.  W.  Mulford, 
saw  in  the  field  of  which  Coulmbus  was  a  center,  a  section  destitute 
of  a  ministry  that  called  men  to  repentance.  For  Mr.  Mulford  to  see 
such  a  need,  was  to  devise  ways  and  means  to  make  up  its  lack.  Pastor 
L.  G.  Beck,  in  his  centennial  sermon  of  Pemberton  church  states, 
"Brother  Mulford  bestowed  much  labor  on  the  Columbus  field,  laid 
the  foundation  of  God's  visible  church  and  did  much  in  the  erection 
of  a  house  of  worship." 

An  old  carpenter  shop  was  the  first  place  of  meeting,  which  those 
interested  fitted  up,  whose  regular  service  was  held  once  in  two  weeks. 
Divine  blessing  attended  the  place  and  the  people.  Converts  were 
gathered,  uniting  at  Pemberton  church.  A  larger  and  better  place 
was  needed.  A  lot  was  secured  and  a  meeting  house  was  built  and 
dedicated.  At  the  end  of  Mr.  Mulford's  charge  at  Pemberton,  his 
labors  at  Columbus  ended.  But  the  Rev.  W.  D.  Hires,  pastor  at 
Jacobstown,  took  up  the  work  and  occupied  the  field,  and  when  Mr. 
Hires  removed  from  Jacobstown,  students  from  the  Burlington  school 
preached  and  kept  up  the  services.  In  1839,  Mr.  J.  C.  Dyer,  a  licentiate 
of  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia,  was  teaching  inVincentown. 
He  visited  and  preached  in  Columbus.  After  a  little,  he  was  ordained. 
Soon  afterwards,  he  died. 

The  next  spring,  in  18-10,  Rev.  William  Smith  moved  to  Columbus 
and  was  pastor  at  Jacobstown,  preaching  a,t  Columbus  on  alternate 
weeks.  On  Ferbuary  25th,  1841,  nineteen  Baptists  met,  adopted  a 
covenant  and  articles  of  faith  and  constituted  the  Baptist  church  of 
Columbus.  Rev.  William  Smith  supplied  the  church  till  March  1845. 
His  service  included  five  years.  From  the  middle  of  July,  Rev.  B.  N. 
Leach,  pastor  at  Bordentown,  supplied  the  church  for  a  few  months. 

Rev.  Job  Gaskill  was  the  first  pastor  and  gave  his  whole  labors 
to  the  church,  from  April  1846,  Mr.  Gaskill  was  well  known  in  that 
region.  His  family  was  an  old  one  and  influential  and  he  did  not 
need  a  salary  for  his  suppor  .  He  had,  however,  coo  much  religion 
and  concern  for  the  church  to  preach  for  nothing.  The  house  of 
worship  was  repaired.  Mr.  Gaskill  taking  charge  of  the  work,  collecting 


COLUMBUS    AND  CHESTERFIELD  207 

the  funds,  paid  all  debts.  Two  stations  were  established  and  two 
places  of  worship  were  built,  one  at  Jobsfown  and  one  at  Chesterfield. 
A  later  writer,  speaking  of  Mr.  Gaskill  says:  "Vigor  and  strength 
characterized  his  ministry.  He  served  the  church  in  every  position; 
was  a  true  friend  to  succeeding  pastors  and  in  him  the  poor  and  needy 
had  heart  sympathy  and  the  penitent  sinner  was  pointed  to  "the  Lamb 
of  God  who  taketh  the  Sin  of  the  World."  At  the  same  time,  he  com- 
bined honest}^  and  firmness  in  the  discharge  of  known  duties."  The 
writer  knew  him  well.  A  man  of  lofty  Christian  principle.  He  resigned 
at  Columbus  in  October  1850  to  accept  another  charge.  Ere  long,  he 
returned  to  the  old  homestead  and  sent  his  letter  to  Columbus  church, 
broken  down  in  health  and  never  preached  any  more.  He  was  church 
clerk  to  the  day  of  his  death,  April  10th,  1860,  only  forty-seven  years 
old. 

Mr.  H.  C.  Putnam  was  ordained  to  be  pastor  on  April  20th,  1851-53. 
S.  Gale,  1854-55;  J.  M.  Lyons,  1856-59;  E.  C.  Ambler,  1859-60;  W.  H. 
Jones,  ordained  1861  and  died  December  1862;  J.  M.  Lyons,  1863-65; 
W.  D.  Sigfried,  1867-68;  G.  W.  Snyder,  1869-71 ;  W.  B.  Tolan,  1871-72; 
a  new  house  and  location,  H.  Wescott,  1873-77;  C.  A.  Babcock,  1877-79; 
R.  Cheney,  1879-85;  A.  S.  Flock,  1885-88;  W.  L.  Wurdell,  1889;  H. 
Hill,  1890-93;  M.  C.  Alexander,  1893-96;  J.  F.  Jennings,  1896-97; 
W.  O.  Owens,  1898-1900. 

The  church  has  had  twenty  pastors.  One  member  has  been 
licensed  to  preach.  Two  sanctuaries  have  been  built,  the  first  by  Mr. 
Mulford  long  before  the  church  was  organized;  the  second  by  Rev.  H. 
Wescott  in  1872  and  dedicated  in  November  1872.  One  church  has 
been  colonized  in  1871,  now  Chesterfield. 

In  the  summer  of  1839,  two  young  ladies,  members  of  the  first 
Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia,  Miss  Margaret  Burtis  and  Miss  Margaret 
Keen,  visited-  friends  in  Recklesstown,  (now  Chesterfield).  They 
were  impressed  with  the  lack  of  the  religious  activities  to  which  they 
were  accustomed  at  home,  neither  Sunday  school  nor  church,  only 
the  quiet  uniformity  of  "Friends  meeting,"  consecrated  the  Lord's 
day  with  worship,  song  and  prayer.  "Their  spirit  was  stirred  within 
them,"  as  was  Paul's  in  Athens  (Acts  17:16)  and  going  from  house  to 
house,  they  gathered  the  children  in  a  school  house  for  Sunday  school. 
Beside  officers  and  teachers,  they  began  the  school  with  sixty-nine 
youth.  Returning  home  they  took  the  burden  of  the  Sunday  school 
with  them.  When  returning,  to  the  village,  they  took  with  them  a 
student,  who,  interested  the  people  with  expositions  of  Scripture. 

Miss  Keen  was  a  daughter  of  Deacon  Joseph  Keen  of  the  first 
Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia  and  subsequently  the  wife  of  Rev.  W. 


208  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

E.  Watkinson,  many  years  pastor  of  the  Hamilton  Square  Baptist 
church.  Miss  Burtis  was  a  companion  and  intimate  friend  of  the  writer's 
sisters,  all  members  of  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia.  These 
families  had  been  under  the  training  of  those  foremost  men  of  their 
day,  Holcombe  and  Brantly  Sr.,  pastors  of  the  church,  who  introduced 
a  new  era  of  Christian  activities  among  Baptists  of  the  North,  who 
were  tending  to  antinomianism.  The  first  Baptist  minister  on  this 
field  in  New  Jersey,  was  a  son  of  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Philadelphia, 
T.  D.  Anderson.  The  Sunday  school  which  these  ladies  planted  was 
the  origin  of  the  Baptist  church  of  Chesterfield.  Its  scholars  founded 
it. 

The  trustees  appointed  a  committee  of  three  to  build  a  house  of 
worship.  Two  of  them  were  ministers.  Revs.  J.  Gaskill  and  Christian 
Brinkerhoff.  This  house  w^as  dedicated  January  25th,  1848.  Baptist 
interests  were  well  looked  after  by  Mr.  Gaskill,  until  laid  aside  by. 
iUness. 

Rev.  C,  Kain,  Jr.,  pastor  at  Jacobstowai  preached  occasionally 
at  Chesterfield  and  in  1867  he  had  special  meeting  in  the  village  and 
baptized  one  hundred  and  five  converts  won  in  them.  Himself,  lilce 
to  Mr.  Gaskill  and  Henry  Wescott  was  not  dependent  on  a  salary.  But 
he  was  an  eminently  spiritual  man.  A  debt  left  upon  the  church 
edifice,  was  eventually  paid  off  by  the  efforts  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Carpenter 
in  1865.  The  Chesterfield  Baptist  church  was  organized  on  January 
28th,  1871.  Mr.  Kain,  Jr.,  seems  to  have  been  the  first  pastor,  the 
Jacobstown  church  consenting  to  his  preaching  at  Chesterfieldon  the 
afternoon  of  the  Lord's  day,  when  in  September  1871,  Rev.  A.  G. 
Thomas  became  pastor  of  Jacobstown  church.  He  followed  Mr. 
Kain  at  Chesterfield. 

The  later  succession  of  pastors  was:  M.  L.  Ferris  ordained  in 
February   1874-80;  L.   S.   Colburn,   1880-82;   R.   G.   Lamb,   1883-86. 

Rev.  C.  E.  Cordo,  hearing  of  the  low  condition  of  the  church, 
voluntarily  held  a  series  of  meetings  there  with  happy  results.  The 
need  of  a  pastor  was  felt  and  the  question  of  a  parsonage  was  intro- 
duced by  the  offer  of  a  lot  for  it,  by  Mrs.  Bullock  of  Chesterfield.  A 
parsonage  house  was  built  by  funds  freely  offered.  These  events 
occurred  about  1888-89;  A.  Millington,  1888-92;  A.  J.  Alexander, 
ordained  September  1893-94;  E.  M.  Ogden,  1895-99.  Ill  health 
induced  his  resignation.  The  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to 
that  of  the  town  in  which  it  was,  about  this  time.  Rev.  Mr.  Miller, 
October  1900. 

Chesterfield  has  had  the  usual  experience  of  rural  churches,  in 
the  going  to  centers  of  business  of  the  younger  population.     Nine 


CHESTERFIELD  209 

pastors  have  been  in  charge  of  the  church.  Cultured  pastors  are  apt 
to  consent  to  exchange  a  small  salary  that  denies  education  to  their 
children,  for  a  larger  one  that  assures  to  them  their  right  to  the  best 
help  for  advance  in  the  world  and  Avho  knows  that  his  wife  is  breaking 
down  under  the  hardships  of  daily  toil  and  of  the  economy  necessary 
to  "make  both  ends  meet."  He  is  called  from  home  at  times  and  is 
relieved  of  the  trials  of  home,  while  the  wife  endures  constantly,  the 
routine  of  managing  to  save  and  of  a  dark  future  for  the  children,  for 
whom  she  "dies  daily"  inspired  by  a  mother's  love. 

Chesterfield,  while  intimately  related  to  Columbus  and  to  Rev. 
Mr.  Job  Gaskill  was  more  really  a  child  of  Jacobstown.  Fifty-nine 
members  were  dismissed  from  Jacobstown,  to  constitute  it.  Rev. 
Mr.  Rue,  pastor  of  Jacobtsown,  was  the  means  of  building  its  house  of 
worship  and  Mr.  Kain,  another  pastor  of  Jacobstown,  was  the  first 
pastor  of  Chesterfield,  by  the  consent  of  Jacobstown  church,  to  preach 
there,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  Lord's  day.  (Thus  though  Pastor 
Gaskill  of  Columbus  cared  for  the  young  church,  Jacobstown 
is  really  the  mother  church.) 


W(^ 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

UPPER  FREEHOLD.  JACOBSTOWN  AND  BORDENTOWN 


Upper  Freehold  church  is  much  older  in  its  formal  organization 
than  the  Holmdel  church;  still  it  is  younger.  At  Holmdel,  the  two 
first  houses  of  worship  and  the  two  first  parsonages  owned  by  Middle- 
town  church  were  built.  The  first  about  1664-5.  The  debris  of  the 
original  buildings,  lay  on  the  site  of  the  structures  for  about  one  hundred 
years  after  their  decay  and  after  the  building  of  the  third  house  by 
John  Bray  in  1 705  and  of  a  parsonage  in  1 825  on  the  Holmes  and  Law- 
rence tracts,  which  Mr.  Braj'  bought  in  1688.  (  A  descendant  of  Mr. 
Bray  of  the  same  name  showed  the  writer  the  original  deed  made  in 
1688).  Mr.  Lawrence  selling  his  in  anticipating  of  removing  to  Upper 
Freehold.  The  first  and  second  meeting  houses  and  the  parsonages 
were  on  the  Holmes  tract,  facing  on  the  road  from  Holmdel  to  Colt's 
Neck,  we  thus  have  a  clue  to  the  early  days  of  Pastor  Ashton's  coming 
to  Holmdel. 

When,  however,  Abel  Morgan  reduced  his  visits  to  once  in  two 
months  and  John  Coward,  a  licentiate  of  Middletown,  but  living  at 
LT^pper  Freehold,  declined  preaching  in  the  intervals  of  Mr.  Morgan's 
absence.  Baptists  felt  the  need  of  a  church  organization  and  of  con- 
trolling the  frequence)^  of  ministerial  supply.  If  once  in  two  months 
was  equivalent  to  destitution,  Mr.  Morgan,  before  this,  must  have 
been  preaching  often  at  Upper  Freehold,  and  the  station  been  an  im- 
portant center.  About  this  time,  in  May  1766,  the  church  was  con- 
stituted with  forty-seven  members  dismissed  from  Middletown.  For 
the  first  seven  years,  it  was  knowii  as  the  Crosswicks  Baptist  church. 
But  then  it  took  the  name  of  Upper  Freehold  Baptist  church.  Mr.  Coward 
was  not  one  of  the  constituents.  His  son,  John  Coward  of  Borden  town, 
was  one  of  the  trustees  to  whom  Mr.  Borden  in  1751,  gave  the  deed 
of  the  lot  on  which  the  Bordento%vn  Baptist  church  stands;  fifteen 
years  before  the  L^pper  Freehold  church  was  formed.  Among  the 
constituents  of  the  LTpper  Freehold  was  the  name  of  Holmes.  Si.x 
were  named  Cox. 

The  identity  of  Upper  Freehold  and  Middletown  is  indicated  by 
Baptistto^^'n  (Holmdel)  and  Upper  Freehold,  being  exclusively  the 
localities  in  Middletown,  in  which  the  "yearly  meetings"  were  held, 
when  Middletown  and  Piscataway  alone  held  them.  They  were 
really  quarterly  meetings,  two  being  held  in  each  church  alternately 


UPPER  FREEHOLD  AND  MIDDLETOWN  211 

every  year,  three  months  apart.  In  these  locaUties  the  bulk  of  the 
members  Uved.  In  1766  Middletown  had  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  members.  Forty-seven  besides  Mr.  Coward  and  wife,  were  more 
than  one  third  of  them  residents  at  Upper  Freehold.  More  of  them 
were  doubtless  resident  at  Holmdel  thus  showing  where  the  heart  of 
Middletown  church  was.  Had  Baptisttown  (Holmdel)  and  Upper 
Freehold  insisted  on  a  division  and  each  retained  the  original  date  of 
1668,  it  would  have  prevented  the  misconception,  that  the  body  in 
Middletown  village  was  the  original  Middletown  church. 

In  historical  sketches  of  Jacobstown  and  Upper  Freehold,  the 
impression  is  given  that  the  families  of  Cox,  Mount  and  Cheeseman, 
went  from  Middletown  to  those  parts.  Most  likely  the  impression 
grew  out  of  the  occurrence  of  these  names  among  the  constit- 
uents of  the  Middletown  Church.  It  should  be  remembered,  how- 
ever, that  the  members  of  that  body  in  its  earliest  history,  in- 
cluded the  Baptists  in  all  this  part  of  East  Jersey.  These  families 
settled  in  vicinities  near  where  their  descendants  are  now  so  numer- 
ous. The  family  of  Cox,  the  old  maps  indicate  as  having  originally 
located  near  to  Upper  Freehold. 

James  Ashton,  the  son  of  the  first  pastor  of  Middletown  church, 
was  not  a  member  of  the  church,  when  he  first  moved  to  Upper  Free- 
hold, but  it  is  beheved  that  later  he  was  a  member  of  it.  He  was  a 
bachelor  and  his  name  is  lost  from  among  the  residents.  It  is  written 
of  him  "that  he  was  in  high  esteem  as  a  citizen,  a  Christian  and  a 
Judge,"  and  added  "  that  he  was  a  model  man  and  Christian."  Mr. 
Ashton  left  a  legacy  to  the  church.  Baptists  in  early  days  invited 
ministers  to  visit  them  and  to  preach.  The  Upper  Freehold  Baptists 
bought  a  dwelling  house  and  fitted  it  up  for  a  place  of  worship.  These 
people  evidently  had  means  to  spare  for  spiritual  uses.  The  early 
Baptists  of  Monmouth  county  were  neither  poor  nor  little.  Pastor 
Abel  Morgan  was  not  lacking  in  labor  in  his  field  from  1739  to  1761. 
The  many  calls  on  him  from  far  and  near  were  enormous. 

The  coming  of  Rev.  Samuel  Stillman  to  Upper  Freehold,  supplied 
Mr.  Morgan's  place  there  for  two  years  from  1761.  The  Hightstown 
church  and  its  pastor  also  relieved  him  of  care  of  that  vicinity,  so  that 
he  could  go  abroad  from  his  field  oftener  than  had  been  previously 
allowed  to  him.  Mr.  Stillman  retired  from  Upper  Freehold  and  Rev. 
David  Jones  took  his  place  in  1763  and  later,  when  the  church  was 
organized,  was  its  first  pastor.  Mr.  Jones  was  a  student  at  Hopewell, 
and  had  studied  Theology  with  Abel  Morgan,  being  a  member  and 
licentiate  of  Middletown  church,  he  was  a  constituent  of  Upper  Free- 
hold and  its  pastor  in  1776.  Including  three  years  before  the  organization 


2VJ  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  tliL"  church,  he  ministcsred  at  Upper  Freehold  thii-teen  years,  resigning 
because  bitterly  opposed  to  British  tj'ranny  and  to  his  intense  loyalty 
to  the  Congress  of  the  colonies.  A  minute  in  the  church  book  says: 
"These  were  troublesome  times." 

The  people  of  New  Jersey  were  divided  into  parties  of  "Whigs" 
and  "Tories."  the  names  designating  the  parties  loyal  to  Congress  and 
to  England.  An  incident  illustrates  the  type  of  man  Mr.  Jones  was. 
W'alking  on  the  street  he  heard  one  calling  "Brother  Jones,  Brother 
Jones!"  Looking  back  he  saw  a  drunken  man  lying  by  the  side  walk, 
who  asked  "Brother  Jones,  don't  you  know  me?"  "I  am  one  of 
your  converts."  He  replied,  "You  look  like  one  of  my  converts; 
if  God  had  converted  you,  you  would  not  be  lying  there."  The  preach- 
ing of  such  men  and  the  preaching  they  preached  built  up  our  great 
denomination.  Quite  unlike  a  modern  sort  that  calls  on  sinners  "to 
open  their  hearts  and  let  God  in."  Under  which  our  churches  are 
dwindling  in  character  and  spirituality.  In  two  years,  the  church 
called  a  successor  to  Mr.  Jones,  whose  devotion  to  liberty  was  natural 
to  a  Welshman  and  whose  consecration  to  Christ  made  him  a  New 
Testament  Christian. 

The  succession  of  pastors  to  1821  were:  W.  J.  Pitman,  1779-82; 
John  Rockwell,  1882-87;  J.  Stephens,  1789-93;  D.  Loughboro,  1794; 
A.  Harpending,  1797-1800;  John  Morgan,  supply,  1802;  S.  B.  Harris, 
1808-10;  John  Copper,  1813-21.  In  this  period  of  the  eight  pastors, 
four  were  unworthy  men  holding  office  for  sixteen  years  and  there  were 
nine  years  of  pastoral  destitution.  Despite  these  unpromising  con- 
ditions, the  church  preserved  unity  and  the  heresies  and  immoralities 
alleged  of  these  years  did  not  seriously  impair  its  integrity. 

In  1822,  Rev.  J.  M.  Challis  became  pastor.  His  settlement  was 
an  era  in  the  history  of  the  church.  A  new  epoch  began.  His  piety  was 
diffusive  and  he  had  a  receptive  welcome  among  his  people.  He  was 
ordained  in  December  1822  and  during  sixteen  years  of  happy  and 
of  appreciated  labors,  harvcssed  continuously  for  the  Kingdom  of  God, 
averaging  annually  the  baptism  of  fifteen  converts.  Considering 
the  low  estate  to  which  the  church  had  fallen  in  the  long  time  that 
preceded  the  coming  of  Mr.  Challis,  the  odium  that  attaches  to  Christians 
and  to  the  minister  by  the  defection  of  a  preacher  from  the  purity  of 
truth  and  duty,  the  labors  of  Mr.  Challis  must  be  esteemed  as  an 
especial  endowment  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Mr.  Challis  did  not  limit 
himself  to  Upper  Freeliold  church,  but  did  good  wherever  he  could. 
"The  Freehold  church  speaks  of  him  as  the  founder  of  it."  Unobstru- 
sive,  of  marked  simplicity  of  character,  the  impress  of  his  piety  was 
felt  everywhere. 


Front  of  the  Yellow  Meeting  House,  the  Second   House  on  this 
Ground,  the  First  Burned  and  Rebuilt 


UPPER  FREEHOLD  AND  JACOBSTOWN  213 

Another  true  and  noble  man  followed  Mr.  Challis  at  Upper  Free- 
hold, Rev.  L.  G.  Beck  in  1838-43;  William  A.  Roy,  1843-46;  A.  Arm- 
strong, 1847-51;  William  J.  Nice,  1852-55.  Mr.  Nice  was  a  man  of 
pre-eminent  worth.  S.  Sproul,  1855-57;  C.  M.  Deitz,  1858-66;  W.  D. 
Hires,  1867-78;  E.  Loux,  1879-82;  D.  Silver,  1882  to  his  death  in 
December,  1884.  S.  L.  Cox,  1885-87;  J.  A.  Knowlton,  1888-91;  I.  N. 
Earle,  1891-92;  J.  Huffnagle,  1892-96;  S.  L.  Harter,  1896-1904. 

To  1900,  the  church  has  had  twenty-four  pastors.  Of  the  pastors, 
J.  M.  Challis  was  pastor  sixteen  years,  David  Jones,  fourteen  years, 
W.  D.  Hires,  eleven  and  Pastors  Cooper  and  Deitz  each  eight  years. 
Two  churches  have  been  colonized  from  Upper  Freehold,  Jacobstown 
in  1785  and  thirty-two  members  were  dismissed  to  in.stitute  it  and  in 
1834,  ninety  members  to  constitute  the  Freehold  church.  The  pastors 
maintained  regular  appointments  at  both  of  these  places  long  before 
a  church  was  begun  in  either.  At  Jacobstown,  some  of  the  constituents 
of  Middletown  located  at  Jacobstown.  At  Freehold,  Mr.  Challis  laid  the 
foundations  and  really  originated  the  church  there.  Quite  likely  the 
pastors  ministered  at  Bordentown,  as  that  mission  was  identified  with 
Jacobstown.  Two  have  been  licensed  to  preach,  one  of  them  has 
spent  life  in  ministerial  work.  Upper  Freehold  was  incorporated 
six  years  before  its  mother  in  Middletown.  Various  of  its  properties 
were  held  in  trust  by  its  members.  A  dwelling  house  was  transformed 
to  a  place  of  worship,  "The  Yellow  meeting  house,"  the  date  of  its 
building  is  lost.  Another  put  up  in  1737  and  one  at  Jacobstown  in 
1767,  yet  another  at  Cream  Ridge  and  one  at  Imlaystown,  where  the 
parsonage  and  church  grounds  consi-st  of  several  acres.  The  church 
edifice  there  is  large,  modern;  i:)ut  it  was  burned  in  1903.  A  now 
house  was  built  in  1904,  and  supplied  with  all  the  appliances  for 
Christian  work  and  worship,  which  money  and  culture  command. 
Unhappily,  the  railroad  is  a  mile  distant. 

The  church  is  a  rural  body,  isolated  from  commercial  centers. 
Like  Jacobstown,  its  prospective  is  limited.  Other  Baptist  churches 
will  limit  its  field  yet  more.  Four  hundred  and  twenty-eight  have  been 
baptized  into  the  church,  more  than  half  of  them,  were  baptized  by 
Pastor  Challis. 

The  constituency  of  Jacobstown  Baptist  church  allies  it  to  Middle- 
town  church.  Some  of  them  had  been  dismissed  to  constitute  Upper 
Freehold  church  and  others  were  children  and  grandchildren  of  the 
constituents  of  Middletown  church,  forty  years  before  the  Hights- 
to^vn  church  had  been  formed.  Members  of  MiddletowTi 
living  in  Upper  Freehold,  were  among  the  constituents 
of      Hightstown.  They       had       not       moved       from       Middle- 


214  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

town,  but  were  living  in  Upper  Freehold,  the  membership  of  the  old 
church  reaching  from  the  Raritan  to  the  ocean  and  from  Atlantic 
Highlands  far  south  of  Upper  Freehold.  The  unity  of  these  Baptists 
was  not  relationship,  but  companionship  in  persecution  and  driven 
in  exile  to  this  new  land  and  again  driven  from  their  new  homes 
rather  than  deny  the  faith  of  the  Lord  Christ. 

Jacobstown  derived  its  name  from  a  "Friend"  (a  Quaker)  named 
Jacob  Andrew,  in  accord  with  the  custom  of  calling  each  other  by  their 
first  name.  William  Penn  addressed  King  Charles  II,  as  "Charles, 
thee  ought,  etc.,"  "Friend  Jacob"  moved  from  Little  Egg  Harbor, 
a  "public  Friend"  or  preacher,  on  a  tour  in  New  Jersey  and  settled 
in  the  compass  of  Burlintgon  monthly  meeting.  He  made  his  home  on 
the  site  of  Jacobstow^l,  where  he  opened  a  store,  built  blacksmith  and 
wheelwright  shops  and  began  Jacobstown.  He  died  there.  Other 
"Friends"  settled  in  the  place.  Affinities  of  belief  in  the  right  to  "civil 
and  religious  liberty"  influenced  Baptists  to  settle  there. 

Morgan  Edwards  says,  "There  were  Baptists  in  these  parts  from 
the  first  settling  of  the  country  members  at  Middletown.  In  process  of 
time  they  increased  and  he  adds  this  increase  made  them  think  of 
becoming  a  separate  society;  the  mother  church  approved  and  released 
the  following  persons."  These  twenty-eight  on  October  19th, 
1785,  constituted  a  church.  Nine  of  them  were  Sextons  and  four  were 
Coxes.  A  house  of  worship  had  been  put  up  by  Jacobstown  in  1767, 
and  partly  finished  the  fifth  meeting  house  erected  for  the  use  of  the 
Upper  Freehold  Church.  The  Bordentowm  mission  went  with  Jacobs- 
town,  Jacobstown  being  nearer  than  Upper  Freehold  and  as  fully 
identified  with  the  mission,  as  the  mother  church.  The  building  at 
Jacobstowai,  being  incomplete  and  unplastered,  remained  unfinished 
for  sixteen  years.  A  substitute  for  a  stove  was  a  huge  brazier  in  the 
center  of  the  building,  filled  with  glowing  charcoal.  Free  access  of 
winds  from  without,  relieved  any  danger  from  the  burning  coal.  No 
doul)t,  foot  stoves  were  in  free  use.  Morgan  Edwards  invariably  said; 
if  a  church  edifice  had  a  stove,  "and  it  had  a  stove."  This  building 
was  completed  and  used  until  replaced  in  1853  by  that  now  in  use. 
The  present  house  of  worship  was  located  where  it  is,  at  the  cemetery, 
by  a  thousand  dollar  subscription,  affording  to  the  church  the  best 
opportunity  to  dwindle  into  nothingness  and  be  a  memorial  of  what 
mischief  a  thousand  dollars  can  do  to  bring  naught  and  to  perpetuate 
the  shadows  of  death. 

For  several  months.  Rev.  Peter  Wilson,  pastor  of  Hightstown 
Baptist  church,  supplied  Jacobstown.  His  labors  were  prospered. 
About  the  end  of  1785,  Rev.  Burgess  AUison  became  pastor,  remaining 


JACOBSTOWN  215 

twenty-eight  years,  till  1813.  In  1796  he  gave  his  school  at  Borden- 
town  into  the  charge  of  W.  H.  Staughton.  Mr.  Allison  found  it  necessary 
to  resume  its  care.  But  he  could  not  restore  it.  This  was  the  second 
harm  which  the  cause  of  education  suffered  in  New  Jersey.  Six  other 
schools  followed  in  the  colony,  illustrating  the  persistence  of  New  Jersey 
Baptists  to  provide  for  themselves  the  means  of  culture. 

In  1815,  Jacobstown  church  settled  Rev.  Richard  Proudfoot, 
who  was  pastor  until  1817.  In  the  following  twenty  years,  supplies 
served  Jacobstown  church.  In  this  long  period,  Rev.  J.  M.  Challis 
pastor  of  Upper  Freehold  church  preached  at  Jacobstown  once  in  each 
month  and  attended  to  other  pastoral  duties.  From  the  beginning, 
of  his  ministry  signs  of  a  spiritual  harvest  appeared  at  Jacobstown 
and  the  best  welfare  of  the  church  was  promoted  combining  the  offices 
of  evangelist  and  pastor.  Mr.  Challis  was  a  man  of  rare  worth  and  of 
influence;  an  inspiration  to  the  attainment  of  good.  His  labors  at 
Jacobstown  continued  ten  years  and  when  he  retired,  Rev.  W.  D. 
Hires  was  called  and  at  the  end  of  ^he  year,  when  the  time  of  his  call 
was  expired,  the  church  pressed  him  earnestly  to  stay  and  consenting, 
was  ordained  April  18th,  1835.  To  those  who  knew  Mr.  Hires,  it 
was  not  strange  that  he  was  wanted,  a  devoted  pastor  and  a  preacher 
eminent  for  saying  the  most  in  fewest  words  and  with  a  simplicity?  a 
little  child  could  understand.  He  was  wanted  whenever  he  could  be 
got. 

Rev.  C.  J.  Hopkins  became  pastor  in  1837.  A  larger  field  induced 
him  to  leave  in  1838.  His  characteristics  are  referred  in  the  record  of 
his  pastorates  at  Camden,  Bridgeton  and  Salem.  Baptism  was  dis- 
cussed by  his  friends.  Mr.  Hopkins  was  a  Presbyterian,  and  unable 
to  sustain  his  views,  he  appealed  to  his  pastor  who  said  to  him:  "Charley, 
if  your  relations  are  Baptists,  I  advise  you  to  let  them  alone  for  with 
the  Bible  as  their  sole  guide,  they  have  the  best  of  the  argument." 
Amazed  at  this,  he  inquired  of  the  Bible  and  united  with  the  first 
Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia,  under  Pastor  Holcombe  and  was 
licensed  by  them.  (See  History  of  first  Camden  church).  In  1840, 
Rev.  William  Smith  entered  the  pastorate  and  was  pastor  five  years, 
a  good  and  true  man.  Mr.  Smith  lived  at  Columbus  and  alternated 
preaching  at  both  places.  His  missionary  work  was  his  distinction; 
aggression  was  the  law  of  his  piety. 

Mr.  J.  E.  Rue  followed  Mr.  Smith  and  was  ordained  in  January 
1845.  The  meeting  houses  at  Plattsburg  and  Recklesstown  (now 
Chesterfield)  were  built  in  Mr.  Rue's  pastorate.  People  in  these  places 
objected  to  Mr.  Rue's  Baptist  preaching  and  the  trustees  at  Reckless- 
town  locked  him  out  of  the  house.     A  gentleman  named  Reed,  an 


216  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Episcopalian,  sympathized  vnth  the  persecuted  Baptists  and  he  gave 
a  lot  and  a  legacy  from  his  estate  to  build  a  Baptist  church  edifice  in 
RecklesstowTi.  Mr.  Rue  was  pastor  two  years  and  in  the  year  of  his 
resignation,  Rev.  C.  Brinkerhoff  became  pastor  at  Jacobstown  in  1847, 
continuing  till  1851.     These  were  years  of  blessing  and  of  harv^e.st. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Carpenter  followed  immediately  with  scarcely  an  inter- 
mission. Great  gaps  have  stared  at  the  historian  in  the  past. 
With  untiring  pertinacity  this  good  man  gathered  and  classified 
data  and  fact  of  invaluable  historic  material.  Errors  occur  in  his 
work,  but  what  human  effort  is  perfect!  It  has  been  .said  of  Mr.  Car- 
penter "that  he  was  a  walking  biography  of  the  men  of  his  times  and  a 
store  house  of  things  worth  knowing  about  Baptists  and  of  their  con- 
cerns in  New  Jersey  and  in  its  vicinities."  He  was  a  careful  wise  and 
intelligent  secretary  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  for 
sixteen  years,  a  longer  period  than  any  other  had  held  the  office.  Pastor 
at  Jacobstown  for  thirteen  years;  revivals  of  special  power  were  enjoyed 
and  a  new  substantial  brick  meeting  house  of  modern  type  was  built 
and  paid  for.  The  only  question  of  dissent  about  it,  was  the  folly 
of  its  location,  which  means  either  the  extinction  of  the  church  or 
another  location  and  a  new  house  in  the  village.  Mr.  Carpenter 
resigned  in  1864.  He  lived  to  be  eighty-five  years  old  and  up  to  his 
last  illness  of  a  few  weeks  continued  the  active  duties  of  his  bu,sy  life. 

Rev.  C.  Kain,  Jr.,  became  pastor  in  October  1864,  and  for  seven 
years  enjoyed  tokens  of  Divine  blessing,  baptizing  one  hundred  and 
five  in  one  year.  While  pastor,  a  parsonage  was  bought  and  paid 
for.  In  January  1871,  fifty-nine  members  were  dismissed  to  organize 
the  Recklesstown  church.  Pastor  Kain  resigned  to  resume  charge  of 
the  church  at  MuUica  Hill  which  he  had  left  to  come  to  Jacobstown; 
without  the  intermission  of  a  Lord's  day. 

Rev.  A.  G.  Thomas  accepted  the  call  to  be  pa.stor,  on  October  1 , 
1871.  Mr.  Thomas  held  a  special  meeting  at  Hornerstown.  One 
hundred  and  eighteen  were  baptized  in  the  winter  of  1873  and  4.  This 
pastorate  like  that  of  Mr.  Kain  was  fruitful  in  enlargement  and  in 
blessing.  Mr.  Thomas  resigned  in  1877.  A  succession  of  pastors  was: 
Rev.  Mr.  Hay,  who  ministered  1878-85;  Rev.  William  Warlow,  1885-88; 
Rev.  W.  E.  Cornell,  1889-1904. 

HornerstowTi  church  was  recognized  in  1897,  wth  thirty-two 
members.  Jacobstown  is  a  rural  church  and  has  an  exchange  of 
natives  for  unsympathetic  foreigners.  These  old  churches  may  become 
mission  fields  unless  endowed  and  the  tide  of  population  is  turned  by 
means  of  the  trolley  roads  and  the  conveniences  of  town  houses  are 
introduced  into  the  country. 


BORDENTOWN  217 

If  the  names  of  "supplies"  arc  omitted,  the  church  has  had  twelve 
pastors.  Mr.  Burgess  Allison,  twenty-sLx  years;  Mr.  Carpenter,  thirteen 
years  and  Mr.  Cornwell,  fifteen  years.  Two  meeting  houses  liave  been 
built,  one  in  1767,  another  in  1853,  to  which  has  been  added  the  applian- 
ces and  conveniences  adapting  it  to  modern  life. 

April  14th,  1821,  is  a  misleading  date  of  early  Baptist  interests 
in  Bordentown.  The  Baptist  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1752, 
on  a  lot,  the  deed  of  which  is  dated  August  5th,  1751,  the  fourth  meeting 
house  used  by  the  Upper  Freehold  Baptist  church  and  erected  fourteen 
years  before  the  mother  church,  of  which  it  was  a  mission,  was 
constituted  Bordentown  was  a  mission  of  Upper  Freehold 
church,  and  then,  when  Jacobstown  church  was  constituted,  was 
identified  with  that  body.  It  might  have  been  the  mother,  rather  than 
the  daughter  of  these  churches  and  the  fourth  daughter  of  the  original 
Middletown. 

The  deed  of  the  lot  was  given  to  John  Coward,  Jr.,  Thomas  Cox 
and  Joseph  Borden,  Jr.  John  Coward  Jr.,  was  the  son  of  a  licentiate 
of  Middletown,  who  was  living  in  Imlaystown,  who  had  been  licensed  in 
1738,  to  relieve  Abel  Morgan,  as  had  been  Mr.  Carman  licensed  to  preach 
at  Cranbury  and  Jonathan  Holmes  of  Holmdel  (who  died  at  sea  and 
left  a  legacy  of  four  hundred  pounds  to  Middletown  church).  Thus  if 
Mr.  Morgan  should  be  hindered  from  reaching  these  distant  meetings, 
the  regular  service  would  go  on  and  those  who  had  come  a  long  distance 
would  not  be  disappointed, and  discouraged  at  another  time  from  coming 
to  the  House  of  God.  Thomas  Cox  was  a  descendant  of  a  constituent 
of  Middletown  church.  Joseph  Broden,  Jr.,  is  believed  to  be  a  son  of 
Joseph  Borden,  Sr.,  who  gave  the  ground  for  the  place  of  worship  and 
who  presumably  was  a  Baptist.  The  deed  says  of  Borden,  Cox  and 
Coward,  "who  act  as  agents  for  several  religious  person,  residing  in 
Bordentown,  aforesaid,  and  ye  parts  adjacent,  who  are  members  of 
Christian  congregations,  baptized  by  immersion  upon  a  profession  of 
faith."  It  also  speaks  of  "Certain  well  wishers  who  come  to  hear  ye 
Baptist  ministers,  when  they  preach  in  Bordentown  and  holding  those 
wholesome  principles  contained  in  a  confession  of  faith,  set  forth  by  the 
ministers  and  elders  of  above,  one  hundred  congregations  in  England  and 
Wales,  met  in  London,  Anno  Dom.  1G89."  This  description  allows  no 
doubt  of  the  kind  of  religious  persons  there  were,  nor  of  their  doctri- 
nal ideas. 

Evidently,  there  was  considerable  Baptist  element  in  Bordentown, 
in  and  near  Borden-"  o^\'n  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago.  They  were 
also  people  of  means  and  of  enterprise.  The  house  they  built  is  de- 
scribed by  a  later  pastor  as  "a  grand  edifice  in  its  day;  its  roof  hipped 


218  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

in  imposing  grandeur;  its  walls  stout  enough  for  a  fortress;  in  its  external 
appearance  beautiful  in  plainness;  its  internal  arrangements  a  model 
of  convenience  for  those  days;  its  pulpit  decently  elevated  to  a  dizzy 
height." 

There  is  a  lapse  of  local  information  about  Baptist  matters  in 
Bordentown  for  several  years.  Some  events  happened  however, 
of  very  considerable  moment.  One  was,  that  Burgess  Allison,  born  in 
Bordentowni  in  August  1753,  became,  eventually,  an  important  char- 
acter 1753.  When  sixteen  years  old,  he  united  with  the  Upper  Freehold 
church  by  baptism.  At  once,  he  began  religious  meetings  in  Borden- 
tO'ftTi.     This  seems  to  be  the  origin  of  the  mission  there. 

Preparing  for  college  he  entered  Browai  University  and  was  aided 
by  the  Hubb's  legacy,  (of  Hopewell).  "Graduating  from  college,  he 
returned  to  Bordentown  and  opened  a  school  about  1778  or  79.  Stu- 
dents from  every  colony  and  state,  from  Spain,  France,  West  Indies 
and  South  America  flocked  to  his  school.  Young  men  preparing  for 
the  ministry  and  for  professional  life  were  drawn  to  Bordentown  as 
a  center  of  choice,  culture  and  advantage,  crowding  the  halls  of  the 
large  building  he  had  erected."  Mr.  Allison  was  a  natural  genius  of 
studious  habits.  Teaching  was  his  calling.  His  wide  reputation  and 
the  eminence  of  his  school  gave  him  a  commanding  position  in  all 
educational  circles.  Having  been  ordained  in  1781,  he  was  called  to 
be  pastor  at  Jacobstown,  about  the  end  of  1785.  This,  virtually  was  the 
end  of  his  career.  Although  retaining  connection  with  his  school  and 
devoting  his  energies  to  it.  Both  the  church  and  himself  made  a 
mistake  in  his  becoming  a  pastor.  Had  he  given  himself  to  the  work 
for  which  he  was  fitted,  he  might  have  remedied  the  crime  of  the  removal 
of  Hopewell  school  and  accomplished  for  Baptists  in  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  York,  what  Princeton  has  wrought  for  Presbyterian 
in  this  country.  The  congregations  Mr.  Allison  gathered  in  Bordentown 
and  the  converts  he  baptized  are  gone  and  nothing  remains  of  his  work 
there,  other  than  the  valuable  site  of  the  Baptist  church  and  that  was 
gotten  before  he  was  born. 

Mr.  Allison  was  an  instance  of  the  wasteage  of  choice  gifts  of  mind, 
of  heart,  of  comprehension  of  himself  and  of  culture  by  a  mistaken 
directon;  and  yet  there  must  not  be  a  misapprehension  of  his  motive  or 
of  his  purpose  to  do  the  most  good  and  to  accomplish  the  most  for  God 
humanity.  He  was  truly  a  Godly  man  of  the  highest  aims  and  thorough- 
ly Christian  endeavors.  Men  of  his  own  times  ought  to  have  influenced 
him  to  take  the  place  for  which  he  was  qualified  by  both  nature  and 
culture.  However,  educated  men  often  lack  acquaintance  with  the 
world  and  men,  that  impairs  their  judgement  of  things,  outside  of 


BORDENTOWN  219 

their  routine.  Strange  things  occurred  in  the  pastoral  care  by  Mr. 
Allison  of  Jacobstown  church.  One,  the  membership  of  Staughton 
and  his  wife  in  Jacobstown  church,  distant  twelve  miles  from  Borden- 
town,  without  either  a  "letter  of  dismission"  or  an  "experience"and 
despite  a  rule  of  that  body  "that  all  business  was  to  be  done  at  Jacobs- 
town."  It  was  in  Mr.  Allison,  the  same  lack  of  judgement  as  made 
Jacobstown  the  center  of  his  work,  instead  of  Bordentown.  To  us  it 
is  a  wonder  that  a  Baptist  church  had  not  been  constituted  at  Bordentown 
rather  than  at  Jacobstown.  The  pastor  lived  there;  the  finished  house 
was  there;  there  too,  were  the  converts  the  congregations  which  Mr. 
Allison  had  gathered  and  the  school  also.  As  it  was,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  sacrifice  his  home  work;  divert  his  influence  to  Jacobstown. 
Jacobstown  gained  but  little  from  his  long  pastorate  of  twenty-eight 
years  and  Bordentown  lo.st  so  much,  that  it  was  written  in  1813,  the 
year  of  Mr.  Allison's  resignation  at  Jacobstown,  "The  Baptist  interest 
in  Bordentown  had  evidently  died  away."  Despite  Mr.  Allison's  splen- 
did natural  gifts  and  his  eminent  qualities  for  usefulness,  his  life  was 
a  comparative  loss,  wholly  by  his  own  failure  to  recognize  his  native 
endowments. 

Not  only  in  1813,  but  in  1818,  there  is  added  testimony  of  the  low 
condition  of  Baptist  affairs  at  Bordentown.  Howard  Malcom,  being 
a  student  at  Princeton,  visited  the  place  and  preached.  His  diary  in 
October  has  this  entry:  "Bordentown  is  proverbial  for  neglect  of  re- 
ligion. Found  matters  deplorable.  Baptist  is  the  only  house  of 
worship  except  Friends  (Quakers),  very  small,  in  bad  repair,  seldom 
used,  only  five  or  six  Baptists  in  the  place.  The  only  two  male  mem- 
bers take  no  active  part.  I  suggested  a  Sunday  school  in  town  but 
found  no  encouragement."  Up  to  1789,  Mr.  Allison  had  baptized 
sixty-two  persons.  What  a  magnificent  opportunity  he  had  thrown 
away!  Mr.  Malcom  took  collections  in  the  next  November  to  repair  the 
house  of  worship.  He  aranged  for  regular  services,  in  October  organized 
a  Sunday  school.  A  Sunday  school  in  1819  was  a  great  rarity,  some 
esteemed  it  the  "Devil's net."  Not  only  antinomians  but  good  men  and 
women;  good  pastors  opposed  them  as  dangerous.  Mr.  Malcom 
served  in  his  outlay  of  time,  of  travel,  of  labor  without  a  penny  of 
compensation.  Since  then,  he  has  had  his  reward  in  the  companion- 
ship of  the  Master. 

Another  student,  S.  W.  Lynd  followed,  gathered  twenty  Baptists 
who  on  April  14th,  1821,  constituted  themselves  the  Baptist  church  of 
Bordentown.  Mr.  Lynd  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained. 
He  was  pastor  for  three  years,  resigning  in  February'  1824.  In  that 
year,   Rev.   Thomas   Larcombe   was  settled  as  pastor  continuing  till 


220  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

1827.  His  worth  as  a  man  and  his  able  ministn'  won  a  large  place  for 
him  in  the  hearts  of  his  brethren. 

M.  J.  Rhees  was  jointly  pastor  of  first  Trenton  and  of  Borden- 
town,  for  three  or  four  years.  The  dates  are  indefinite.  Bordentown 
made  a  strong  effort  to  secure  his  undixdded  ser\'ices.  A  like  con- 
dition prevailed  at  Trenton.  With  the  end  of  1833,  he  decided  to 
limit  himself  to  Trenton.  He  was  a  staunch  temperance  advocate. 
At  Bordento'mi  in  1838,  the  church  made  total  abstinence  a  test 
of  membership  and  included  members  added  before  the  adoption  of 
the   rule. 

Immediately,  Rev.  J.  C.  Harrison  settled  at  Bordentown  on  April 
1st,  1834  and  was  pastor  ten  years.  In  person  and  manner,  Mr.  Harri- 
son was  a  fac-similie  of  President  Washington's  portraits.  The  ten 
years  of  Mr.  Harrison's  charge  were  years  of  growth  on  all  lines.  He 
held  that  a  pure  church  was  an  absolute  condition  to  its  welfare.  He 
believed  that  discipline  was  the  line  of  righteousness  with  a  small 
mixture  of  mercy.  A  wealthy  member  was  guilty  of  gross  sin.  An 
allusion  to  the  effect  of  his  exclusion  on  the  pastor's  salary  startled  Mr. 
Harrison,  whereupon,  he  thundered,  "Exclude  him.  I'U  pay  his 
part  of  the  salary  m3^seK."  Another  case  was  the  exclusion  of  a 
woman  for  getting  into  a  passion  with  her  husband  and  sending  for 
laudunum  and  threatening  to  kill  herself;  many  protestations  of 
penitence  were  necessary  before  she  was  restored. 

Pastor  Harrison  was  a  close  reader  of  carefully  written  sermons. 
He  and  Rev.  C.  W.  Mulford  were  in\ated  to  conduct  their  "yearly 
meeting."  Both  were  in  the  pulpit  and  Mr.  Harrison  was  to  preach 
on  Lord's  Day  morning  taking  his  manuscript  and  laying  it  on  the 
seat  in  the  pulpit.  The  hymn  before  the  sermon  was  being  sung  and 
Mr.  Harrison  turned  to  get  his  manuscript,  but  it  was  gone  and  not 
to  be  found.  Mr.  Harrison  demanded  it  of  Mr.  Mulford  and  he  protested 
his  ignorance  of  it.  Their  altercation  reached  "fever  heat."  The  song 
was  done  and  the  congregation  waiting.  There  was  no  alternative 
and  Mr.  Harrison  had  to  go  on.  Word  has  come  to  us  that  it  was  one 
of  the  best  sermons  Mr.  Harrison  ever  preached.  Search  was  made 
for  the  document  and  it  was  found  in  a  crack,  made  by  the  seat  that 
had  shrunk  from  the  wall.  Mr.  Mulford's  honor  was  ^^ndicated  and 
Mr.  Harrison  learned  something  he  had  not  known  of  his  strength.  A 
moral  is:     "Let  preachers  not  depend  on  'paper  wings.'  " 

In  1834,  the  old  meeting  house  which  had  been  in  use  for  eighty- 
two  years  was  torn  down  and  a  new  building  erected.  The  basement 
of  the  new  house  was  ready  for  use  in  December  1834.     The  upper 


BORDENTOWN  221 

room  wa3  dedicated  in  July  1836.  Special  revivals  wore  enjoyed  in 
1839,  1840,  and  1842. 

In  thi.s  pastorate,  one  was  licensed.  Another  member  was  or- 
dained. A  new  sanctuary  was  built  and  the  membership  was  doubled. 
Mr.  Harrison's  resignation  was  declined,  but  as  he  insisted  on  it,  it 
was  accepted.  Since  Mr.  Harrison's  charge,  the  Bordentown  church 
has  constantly  climbed  to  a  higher  plain.  Has  his  maintenance  of  a 
rigid  discipline  any  relation  to  its  future  growth  on  all  right  lines. 

The  succession  of  pastors  has  been:  B.  N.  Leach,  1844-46;  W.  D. 
Hires,  1846-49;  S.  Sproul,  1849-52;  B.  H.  Lincoln,  1852-54;  W.  S. 
Goodno,  1855-57;  A.  P.  Buel,  1857-67.  While  pastor,  a  beautiful 
and  spacious  sanctuary  was  built  and  dedicated  in  March  1861.  Many 
were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism.  J.  W.  Custis,  1867-70;  L. 
Burrows,  1871-76.  Debts  were  cancelled  and  an  annual  average  of 
twenty-eight  baptisms.  H.  W.  Jones,  1877-80;  W.  L.  Kolb,  1880-84; 
C.  E.  Cordo,  1885-91.  In  this  pastorate,  a  parsonage  was  bought.  A 
chapel  was  built  at  "White  Hill,"  and  a  mission  begun.  The  Park 
street  mission  was  also  maintained;  a  chapel  at  Fieldsboro  mission 
was  dedicated  and  an  annual  average  of  twenty  persons  baptized. 
Rev.  J.  Lisk,  1892-1900.  The  varied  interests  of  the  church  have  had 
effective  development.  In  May,  1892,  their  beautiful  church  edifice 
was  destroyed  by  fire.  It  was  shortly  replaced  by  a  larger,  more  stately 
and  substantial  meeting  house,  comparing  favorably  with  others  in  the 
state;  which  was  dedicated  in  1895.  The  benevolence  of  the  church 
has  been  maintained  despite  the  large  outlay  for  their  church  edifice. 

The  church  has  had  sixteen  pastors.  The  work  of  Howard  Malcom 
recovering  Baptist  interests  in  Bordentown  must  not  be  overlooked. 
The  foundations  he  laid  in  1821  are  still  built  on.  Two  pastors,  Messrs. 
Harrison  and  Buel  each  stayed  ten  years.  Both  were  eras  in  its  history. 
Four  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use.  One  built  in  1752,  when  or 
soon  after,  the  Bordentown  church  ought  to  have  been  formed.  Another 
in  1836,  a  third  in  1861  and  the  fourth  in  1892-5,  to  take  the  place  of 
the  third  burned.  These  buildings  by  their  larger  size  and  appoint- 
ments marked  the  growth  of  the  church.  Mr.  Allison  was  a  man  of 
brilliant  parts,  but  he  was  deficient  in  executive  ability  and  foresight. 
An  average  man  of  practical  common  sense  would  not  have  allowed 
Bordento-\\Ti  Baptist  interests  to  have  come  to  the  utter  ruin  which  Mr. 
Malcom  found  them  in,  especially  after  the  promise  of  Mr.  Allison's 
young  manhood. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


FREEHOLD,  HOWELL,  MARLBORO   AND  HORNERSTOWX. 

Mr.  David  Jones,  a  licentiate  of  the  original  Middletown  church, 
occasionally  preached  at  Freehold  to  relieve  Aljel  Morgan  in  charge 
of  that  part  of  his  field  and  tradition  asserts  that  he  estaljlished  a 
mission  at  Freehold  in  1762  and  after  the  organization  of  LTpper  Free- 
hold church  with  Mr.  Jones,  as  its  first  pastor,  he  maintained  the  station 
at  Freehold.  It  is  believed  that  under  his  administration  a  house  of 
worship  was  built  in  an  isolated  place  about  a  mile  from  Freehold.  It 
is  also  affirmed  by  tradition  that  Abel  Morgan  often  preached  at  Free- 
hold, a  number  of  members  of  Middletown  church  living  in  its  vicinity. 
Clusters  of  members  of  that  church  and  stations  for  preaching  were  all 
over  "East  Jersey"  and  pastors  were  often  absent  from  home  for  months 
responding  to  calls  of  the  kind  and  usually  had  some  licentiate  to  supply 
their  pulpit  while  absent.  Rev.  J.  M.  Challis  afterwards  pastor  at 
Upper  Freehold,  alluding  to  Freehold  said:  "This  neighborhood 
was  left  awfully  destitute  of  Baptist  preaching." 

Rev.  John  Cooper  in  1813,  settled  at  Upper  Freehold  and  in  the 
eight  years  of  his  charge,  preached  once  a  month  on  a  week  day  in  the 
Baptist  house  near  Freehold.  Some  converts  were  made  and  baptized. 
Rev.  Mr.  Challis  followed  in  1822  and  continued  the  regular  monthly 
week  appointment.  He  writes  of  this  period:  "I  found  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Freehold,  a  very  feeble  and  disorganized  state."  There 
was  but  "one  male  member  and  a  few  feeble,  but  pious  sisters.  The 
meeting  house  was  almost  in  ruins  and  the  congregation  scattered  and 
pealed."  This  statement  is  not  a  surprise,  considering  the  location 
of  the  place  of  worship,  a  mile  from  the  town,  up  a  long  lane  away  from 
anywhere  in  which  a  monthly  week  day  meeting  was  held  and  the  house 
repulsive  within  and  without.  Very  soon  Mr.  Challis  had  the  house 
repaired,  converts  increased,  the  monthly  meetings  were  multiplied 
and  Baptists  grew  to  number  one  hundred.  Mr.  Challis  continued 
these  labors  for  twelve  years. 

In  1834,  ninety-two  members  of  Upper  Freehold  were  dismissed 
to  constitute  the  Freehold  Baptist  church.  Two  others  made  the 
number  ninety-four,  who  in  November  1834,  constituted  themselves 
the  Baptist  church  of  Freehold.  These  disciples  adopted  a  pledge  of 
"entire  abstinence  from  making,  vending  or  using  ardent  spirits  as  an 
article  of  luxury  or  living."     In  March,  1835,  Mr.  Challis  resigned. 


FREEHOLD  223 

disappointing  the  P'ruehold  Baptists,  who  anticipated  retaining  his 
services  jointly  with  Upper  Freehold. 

A  succession  of  pastors  was  C.  J.  Hopkins,  1835-37;  P.  Simonson, 
1837-8;  William  Maul,  1838-43;  J.  Beldon,  1844-54.  His  pastorate 
wrought  a  great  change  in  the  present  and  the  future  outlook  of  the 
church.  From  seclusion  and  limitation  it  came  to  be  a  power  and 
to  have  influence  in  the  community.  This  change  was  effected  by  u 
new,  large  and  suitable  sanctuary  in  the  town  of  Freehold.  The  writer 
invited  an  exchange  with  Pastor  Beldon  purposely  to  preach  in  the 
old  house  and  thus  to  know  it  and  the  vast  change  from  the  old  to  the 
new.  The  highest  evidence  of  the  noble  manhood  and  piety  of  Pastor 
Challis  was  his  courage  to  endure  and  his  faith  in  God  to  prosper  his 
word  in  the  long  service  in  a  field  where  he  had  so  great  discourage- 
ments. The  new  house  was  a  fitting  temple  for  worship,  modern,  con- 
venient and  quite  equal  to  any  other  in  the  town.  Mr.  Beldon  was  a 
happy  pastor  to  accomplish  this  change  to  gather  a  large  congregation 
and  to  develop  the  church  along  the  lines  of  Christian  work  and  service. 
Going  to  Freehold,  under  the  existing  conditions,  meant  failure  for 
himself  and  an  almost  useless  strife  of  the  church  for  life.  Leaving 
Freehold,  the  church  and  its  large  congregation  was  the  equal  of  any 
other  in  its  social  and  spiritual  influences.  Mr.  Beldon  was  brought 
up  in  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia  under  such  pastors  as 
Henry  Holcombe,  and  W.  T.  Brantley,  St.,  and  it  was  not  strange  that 
he  proved  his  training.  An  unpretentious  man,  not  a  great  preacher, 
but  a  good  and  true  man  in  whom  confidence  was  safely  reposed,  his 
personal  worth  gave  him  hold  on  the  community  and  crowned  his 
ministry  with  success. 

Succeeding  pastors  were  W.  D.  Hires,  1855-59;  T.  R.  Taylor,  1859- 
62.  The  nation  was  undergoing  the  throes  anticipating  the  Civil  War. 
The  slavery  question  was  a  dynamite  bomb  when  mooted.  Monmouth 
County  of  which  Freehold  was  the  county  seat  was  a  warming  place 
for  politicians  of  a  certain  type.  Mr.  Taylor  had  opinions  and  none 
knew  that  he  had  ever  been  afraid  to  do  or  to  speak  as  his  conscience 
enjoined,  and  on  the  Sunday  morning,  before  John  Brown  was  hung, 
Mr.  Taylor  prayed  for  him.  A  proper  thing  to  do  for  one  about  to  die. 
But,  "it  was  the  last  feather"  and  an  unpardonable  sin  to  the  kind 
of  politicians  that  then  influenced  public  opinion  in  Monmouth  county. 
Soon  after  his  prayer,  Mr.  Taylor  resigned,  having  accepted  a  call 
elsewhere  and  was  able  to  announce  at  his  resignation:  "that  having 
accepted  a  call  he  resigned  his  charge  at  Freehold."  Nevertheless, 
there  were  many  loyal  men  who  heartily  sympathized  with  Mr.  Taylor 
in  Monmouth  County,  but  they  were  in  the  minority.     While  pastor 


224  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

for  three  years,   Mr.   Taylor  enjoyed  unusual  prosperity  in  winning 
converts. 

On  the  same  day  in  which  Mr.  Taylor  rel  ired  from  Freehold,  Pastor 
D.  S.  Parmelee  began  his  charge.  Pastor  Parmelee  was  true  to  his 
convictions  of  truth  and  duty.  But  he  chose  times  for  speech,  having 
respect  for  conditions.  While  pastor,  the  house  of  worship  was  en- 
larged and  conveniences  for  worship  were  added.  lie  had  the  longest 
pastorate  in  the  histor}'  of  the  church  only  excepting  that  of  Mr.  Jones, 
chat  of  Mr.  Jones  being  before  the  constitution  of  the  Freehold  church. 
Mr.  Parmelee  closed  his  pastorate  in  ^hc  fall  of  1875.  Rev.  H.  G. 
Mason,  1875-80;  L.  B.  Chase,  1881-1883;  H.  F.  Stillwell,  ordained  in 
1884,  continued  till  1894;  a  new  house  of  worship  supplanted  the  old 
one;  the  member-ship  increased  rapidly;  Theodore  Hcisig,  1894-1902. 

The  church  has  had  eleven  pastors.  Of  them,  Mr.  Beldon  served 
ten  years;  Mr.  Parmelee,  thirteen  3'ears;  Mr.  Stillwell,  ten  years.  Mr. 
Challis  of  his  twelve  years  was  pastor  after  the  church  organized  only 
five  months  and  Mr.  Jones  preached  at  Freehold  1762-1813,  about 
fifty  years,  once  each  month.  Virtually,  four  meeting  houses  have 
been  erected.  When  the  first  was  built  is  unknown,  only  that  it  was 
erected  while  Mr.  Jones  was  pastor  at  Upper  Freehold,  probably  before 
1766,  and  was  in  use  for  nearly  eighty  years.  The  second  building 
was  put  up  under  Mr.  Beldon  in  about  1845.  The  third  house  was 
built  under  Mr.  Parmelee  and  was  an  extension  and  a  great  improve- 
ment on  the  former  structure.  The  fourth,  under  Mr.  Stillwell  was 
dedicated  in  1890. 

No  history  of  Freehold  church  is  complete  without  allusion  to 
Deacon  H.  Ely.  When  he  resigned  his  Treasurership,  he  had  held  the 
office  for  forty  years  and  at  his  death  been  a  deacon  of  the  church 
forty-five  years.  His  mother  was  a  remarkable  woman.  (See  under 
Holmdel  incidents  of  this  wonderful  woman).  Her  sons  were  men  of 
lofty  spiritual  statu.  Having  had  six  sons  and  one  daughter,  three 
brothers  married  three  sisters,  each  sister  was  identified  with  another 
denomination,  and  each  became  Baptists.  Their  pre-eminence  in  good 
things  is  known  to  the  pastors  and  churches  with  which  they  were 
associated.  The  daughter  was  like  to  her  mother  and  her  husband 
was  an  officer  of  the  church  when  he  died.  As  was  almost  universal  in 
early  times  there  was  a  distillery  on  the  farm  near  Freehold.  Its 
machinery  was  taken  to  the  Holmdel  farm,  but  it  rotted  where  first 
laid,  the  mother's  plea  prevailing  against  its  use.  Of  one  of  these  sons, 
(said  to  the  pastor)  by  a  profane  godless  neighbor:  "If  I  had  a  million 
dollars,  I  would  not  hesitate  to  put  it  in  his  hands  for  keeping,  without 
a  scrap  of  paper  or  security,  sure  that  when  I  wanted  it,  I  would  get  it." 


HOWELL    AND  MAKLBUUO  225 

Thia  aon  had  Ijceu  a  deacon  for  thirty  years  and  in  that  time  had  not 
missed  a  communion  till  his  last  illness.  When  one  of  these  brothers 
died  insolvent,  and  widows  and  orphans  would  have  lost  their  all, 
another  brother  mortgaged  his  estate  and  paid  the  indebtedness  of 
that  brother.  Surely,  these  were  giants  of  honor,  godliness  and  truth. 
Deacon  H.  Ely  of  Freehold  was  as  noble,  godly  and  true  as  others  of 
his  brothers  as  the  writer  well  knows  by  personal  knowledge  and  had 
experience  of  his  rare  worth  and  devotion  to  the  best  interests  of 
humanity,  justifying  the  higliest  appreciation  of  man. 

The  Howell  church  (now  Ardcna)  was  named  after  the  township. 
Pastors  of  the  Upper  Freehold  church  had  a  station  at  Howell  many 
years  since.  Rev.  D.  Jones,  the  first  pastor  of  Upper  Freehold  preached 
at  Howell,  several  years  before  1766.  Results  of  his  labors  must  have 
justified  the  including  of  Howell  in  their  field.  There  may  have  been 
Baptists  among  the  early  settlers,  members  of  Middletown  church  and 
the  early  converts  joined  there;  when  Upper  Freehold  was  organized 
and  Freehold  was  identified  with  it,  converts  united  there.  Howell 
is  about  six  miles  east  of  Freehold. 

As  population  increased,  a  Sunday  school  and  social  meetings 
were  begun  in  1860.  Twenty-five  members  of  Freehold  Baptist  church 
were  dismissed  in  1860  to  constitute  the  Howell  church.  Rev.  H. 
Wescott  was  the  first  pastor  remaining  five  years.  A  work  of  grace 
was  enjoyed  and  a  house  of  worship  begun  which  was  completed  in  1861. 
When  he  resigned,  the  membership  of  the  church  was  one  himdred 
and  five  and  all  debts  were  paid.  Brought  up  to  business  habits  and 
having  a  private  income,  he  gave  the  benefit  of  these  to  churches,  of 
which  he  was  pastor  and  ordinarily  preferred  young  and  needy  churches. 
For  such,  lie  usually  secured  a  house  of  worship  and  the  payment  of  all 
debts  against  them.  Judging  by  his  course  in  a  long,  ministerial 
career  of  sixty  and  more  years,  it  is  doubtful  if  he  would  have  accepted 
a  call  to  be  pastor  of  a  church  able  to  care  for  itself. 

Pastors  following  were:  D.  B.  Jutton,  1865-69;  A.  J.  Wilcox,  1870; 
C.  G.  Gurr,  1871-74;  E.  S.  Browe,  1874-79;  William  Archer,  1880-82; 
H.  Wescott,  1882-1904.  A  second  pastorate  of  eighteen  years  at  Howell 
was  had.  Mr.  Wescott  was  ordained  in  1842.  The  writer  then  a  licen- 
tiate, recalls  that  himself  is  the  only  survivor  of  the  ministers  present. 
Mr.  Wescott  is  still  (r904)  in  the  active  discharge  of  the  duties  of  pastor 
at  Howell,  at  an  age  of  ninety  or  more  years. 

Rev.  W.  D.  Hires  settled  at  Holmdel  in  1836,  (the  "Upper  Con- 
gregation", as  the  church  minute  book  styles  it),  while  the  "Lower 
Congregation"  (as  it  is  styled  in  the  miruite  book  of  the  church)  kept 
"Father  Roberts"  for  pastor.  Mr.  Hires  made  stations  at  Keyport, 
15 


22G  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Matawau  and  Marlboro  until  churches  Avere  organized  at  Keyport  and 
at  Matawan.  His  successors  continued  preaching  at  Marlboro  jointly 
with  the  pastors  at  Freehold.  Miss  Ella  G.  Herbert,  a  member  of  the 
Freehold  Baptist  church  gave  a  legacy  of  five  hundred  dollars  for  the 
building  of  a  house  of  worship  at  Marlboro.  The  bequest  was  not 
used  till  1865,  when  her  brother,  O.  C.  Herbert,  bought  a  shop  in  Marl- 
boro and  moving  it  to  a  suitable  place,  fitted  it  for  a  select  school. 

In  June,  1865,  Rev.  Mr.  Parmelee,  pa.stor  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Freehold  formed  a  Sunday  school  in  this  building.  At  its  opening,  it 
had  fourteen  scholars  and  six  teachers.  Mr.  Parmelee  provided  all 
needful  appliances  for  the  school  and  made  a  monthly  appointment  for 
preaching.  Mr.  C.  D.  Warner,  a  licentiate  of  Holmdel  chur  h  also  made 
a  monthly  appointment  to  preach.  In  the  fall  of  1865,  plans  were 
adopted  to  build  a  house  of  worship.  Mr.  O.  C.  Herbert  of  Marlboro, 
one  from  Freehold,  two  from  Holmdel,  were  appointed  a  building  com- 
mittee and  limited  to  an  expenditure  of  two  thousand  dollars  for  the 
edifice.  Pastors  Wilson  of  Holmdel,  and  Slater  of  Matawan  preached 
on  the  vacant  afternoons,  making  a  daily  service.  On  February, 
1867,  the  meetings  were  removed  to  the  basement  of  the  new  house 
of  wor-ship  and  on  the  16th  of  May,  1869,  thirty-one  Baptists  constituted 
the  Marlboro  Baptist  church.  The  dedication  of  the  house  of  worship 
and  of  the  recognition  of  the  church  occurred  on  May  25th,  1869.  In 
October  26th,  1869,  Mr.  E.  C.  Romine  was  ordained  as  an  evangelist. 
The  occasion  of  the  ordination  being  a  series  of  meetings  conducted  by 
Mr.  Romine,  and  some  of  the  converts  wished  him  to  baptize  them. 
The  one  house  of  worship  is  now  in  use. 

The  order  of  pastors  have  been:  George  Johnson,  1870-71;  Laid 
aside  by  illness.  S.  L.  Cox,  1872-73;  J.  Thorn,  1873-74;  B.  C.  Morse, 
1874-76;  died  in  April,  1876;  S.  L.  Cox,  second  pastorate,  1876-78; 
J.  J.  Baker,  1879-87;  L.  G.  Appleby,  1888-9;  L.  G.  Appleby,  second 
pastorate,  1891-92;  W.  N.  Smith,  1894-98;  C.  H.  Sherman,  1899-1900. 
Two  of  these  have  had  a  second  charge  and  one  has  died  while  pastor. 
One  retired  on  account  of  illness.  Another  died  on  account  of  age  and 
this  was  his  longest  pastorate.  The  outlook  is  not  more  inspiring 
than  other  country  churches.  Foreigners  are  supplanting  Americans  in 
rural  districts  and  superstition  and  ignorance  ensnares  and  blinds 
them. 

Hornerstown  Baptist  church  was  an  outgrowth  of  Jacobstown 
church.  Pastor  Hires  of  Upper  Freehold  had  begun  a  mission  there  in 
1872.  Mrs.  Deacon  Goldy,  living  in  the  village  had  previously 
begun  a  Sunday  school,  which  may  have  led  to  the  mission.  Rev.  Mr. 
Thomas  of  Jacobstown  in  1873,  took  hold  of  the  mission,  being  nearer 


IIORNEllSTOWX  227 

to  Jacobstown  than  to  Upper  Freehold  and  held  a  series  of  meetings 
in  the  school  house  and  sevent(!en  were  baptized  and  joined  Jacobstown 
Churcli.  The  scliool  house  was  locked  and  the  meetings  ended.  It 
was  not  objected  to,  that  the  people  were  converted,  but  to  their  being 
Baptists.  When  thus  shut  out  of  the  school  house.  Deacon  J.  Goldy 
opened  his  house  for  the  meetings. 

Later,  the  resident  Baptists  bought  a  store  house,  the  connnunity 
uniting  and  paying  for  the  property.  Meetings  were  held  there  until 
the  church  edifice  was  completed.  In  1890,  a  local  "mite  society" 
was  formed  to  build  a  house  of  worship.  The  society  began  the  house 
in  May,  1891,  and  completed  the  unique  and  beautiful  sanctuary  in 
September,  1894.  It  was  a  rare  instance  of  enterprise  and  of  piety  in 
so  few  Baptists  undertaking  so  noble  a  work.  But  little  financial  aid 
from  abroad  was  received.  Credit  for  the  success  of  the  movement 
is  wholly  due  to  the  "mite  society,"  the  officers  of  which  were:  B.  II. 
Harker,  president;  Miss  Belle  Harker,  secretary;  Miss  Ida  Quicksill, 
treasurer;  William  Harker,  Jr.,  William  L.  Hopkins  and  A.  E.  Harker 
were  the  building  committee. 

The  church  was  organized  in  March  1897,  nearly  three  years  after 
the  dedication  of  the  house  of  worship.  Twenty-nine  members,  twenty- 
eight  of  them  from  Jacobstown  church  constituted  the  church.  Rev. 
C.  M.  Sherman  was  the  first  pastor  for  one  year,  from  October  1897. 
Rev.  A.  E.  Harker  settled  in  1898.  Both  of  these  were  ordained  at 
Hornerstown  at  the  same  time.  Rev.  A.  E.  Harker  was  one  of  the 
building  committee  that  erected  the  church  edifice  and  a  brother  to 
the  other  Harker  on  that  committee  and  to  Miss  Harker,  secretary  of 
the  "Mite  Society"  and  organist  in  the  choir.  The  old  time  practice  of 
our  churches  calling  one  of  their  members  weis  thus  modernized.  Mr. 
Harker  was  paslor  through  1900,  and  (1904)  is  pastor  in  Camden.  - 

These  men,  known  and  proved,  were  good  and  useful  pastors. 
Ashton  and  Burrows  of  Middletown,  Stelle  and  Runyan  of  Piscataway, 
Tomkins  and  Walton  at  Moristown,  Benjamin  Miller  of  Scotch  Plains, 
Moses  Edwards  of  Northfield,  Robert  Kelsay,  Job  Sheppard  at  Cohansie 
and  Salem,  Carman  and  Wilson  at  Hightstown,  Southworth  at  Wan- 
tage, Boswell  and  Allen  at  Burlington  verify  the  wisdom  of  the  choice 
of  these  men.  Necessarily,  the  Hornerstown  church  will  be  a  feeder 
to  cities,  to  manufacturing  and  commercial  centers,  sharing  with  rural 
churches,  the  experiences  of  parting  with  the  active  and  efficient  mem- 
bers that  mean  development  and  excite  inspiration.  There  is  the 
greatest  need  of  such  in  the  country  churches  for  the  training  of  the 
foreign  element,  Christianizing  and  Americanizing  it. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


PITTSGROVE  AND  MANAHAWKEN. 

The  Pittsgrove  Church  owes  its  early  organization  to  the  cultivation 
of  its  field  by  Cohansie  church.  Morgan  Edwards  writes:  "Some  of 
the  first  settlers  in  this  part  of  the  country  were  Baptists.  Particularly 
the  Reeds,  the  Elwells,  the  Paulins,  the  Wallings,  the  Churchmans; 
some  from  New  England.  These  were  visited  by  the  ministers  of 
Cohansie  and  some  others,  particularly  since  they  became  a  branch  of 
that  church." 

In  1742,  a  house  by  thirty  by  twenty-six  feet  wa«  built  on  a  lot 
of  one  acre  given  by  Henry  Paulin.  The  deed  is  dated  February  12th, 
1742.  It  is  well  finished  and  the  communion  is  administered  the 
fourth  Sunday  in  every  other  month.  The  families  belonging  to  the 
congregation  are  about  seventy-two,  whereof,  eighty-one  persons  are 
baptized  "  The  church  had  also  a  plantation  of  about  sixty  acres,  with 
a  good  house  on  it.     The  deed  bears  date  May  12th,  1762. 

This  colony  is  said  to  have  been  companions  of  Sir  Robert  Carr  in 
1665,  settling  at  Old  Man's  Creek.  These  companies  joined  Cohansie 
church.  The  mother  church  made  preaching  stations  and  formed 
branches  in  these  localities.  Nathaniel  Jenkins,  pastor  at  Cohansie, 
especially  interested  himself  in  cherishing  the  Pittsgrove  branch,  which 
included  Baptists  for  miles  distant.  In  1741,  Pastor  Kelsay  devoted 
himself  to  Pittsgrove  and  built  a  meeting  house  the  next  year.  He 
was  not  ordained  until  1750.  Immediately  after  the  death  of  Pastor 
Jenkins  and  in  compliance  with  his  dying  request,  the  Cohansie  church 
called  Mr.  Kelsay  to  be  pastor.  He  had  been  twelve  years  at  Pittsgrove 
and  was  living  in  his  own  liouse.  His  attachment  to  the  people  and 
to  the  place  where  he  had  labored  so  long,  were  very  strong  and  he 
declined  the  call.  Besides,  he  was  anxious  that  Rev.  Job  Sheppard 
should  be  pastor  at  Cohansie.  A  fire  consumed  his  dwelling  and  again, 
Cohansie  renewed  the  call  and  Mr.  Kelsay  yielded  and  was  pastor 
thirty-three  5^cars,  till  he  died  at  seventy-eight  years  old. 

In  1771,  seventeen  members  of  Cohansie  received  letters  to  con- 
stitute Pittsgrove  church.  On  the  15th  of  May,  four  pastors,  Mr. 
Stelle,  Mr.  Kelsay,  Mr.  Griffiths  and  Mr.  Heaton  of  Dividing  Creek, 
met  with  the  brethren  and  sisters  who  constituted  Pittsgrove  church 
on  the  articles  of  faith  and  covenant  which  Mr.  Kelsay  had  prepared 
for  them.     The  next  day,  May  16th,  1771,  William  Worth  was  ordained 


PITTSGROVE  229 

their  pastor.  There  was  prosperity  in  the  first  ten  years  of  his  charge. 
Many  were  added  to  the  church  by  bapti.sm.  Unity  and  spirituality 
marked  the  years.  Mr.  Worth  evidently  had  a  strong  hold  on  the 
community,  judging  from  his  record  of  the  number  of  funerals  and 
marriages  and  from  the  number  of  his  congregations.  Mr.  Worth 
went  to  the  extremes  of  dishonor  and  by  the  removal  of  members  to 
other  churches  and  the  discouragement  of  others,  had  a  majority  and 
kept  the  house  for  himself  and  his  co-conspirators,  excluding  Baptists 
from  their  house  of  worship. 

At  the  end  of  twenty  years  from  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Worth, 
only  thirteen  women  remained  true  to  Christ.  In  the  black  night  of 
apostacy,  they  continued  true  to  righteousness.  These  women  held 
meetings  in  groves  and  in  private  houses.  Once,  when  Mr.  Smalley, 
pastor  of  Cohansie  was  preaching  from  an  open  wagon  near  the  meeting 
house,  every  hearer  of  Mr.  Worth  left  him  alone  and  went  to  hear  Mr. 
Smalley.  In  1803,  Mr.  Worth  and  his  two  deacons  were  expelled  from 
the  house  and  the  "wolf  in  sheep's  clothing"  was  deposed  from  the 
ministry.  Mr.  Worth  held  fast  to  his  universalism  while  in  good  health, 
but  when  dying,  repudiated  it  as  false  and  a  lie. 

The  names  of  these  women  ought  to  be  kept.  They  were:  "Sus- 
anna El  well,  Catharine  Harris,  Reuhama  Austin,  Anna  Robinson, 
Tabitha  Mayhew,  Mary  Nichols,  Susanna  Garrison,  Lovica  Elwell, 
Elizabeth  Atkinson,  Priscilla  Blue,  Abigal  Joslin,  Reuhama  Moore  and 
Rachel  Brick,  Reuhama  Moore  and  Rachel  Brick  being  the  only  con- 
stituent members  living."  The  writer  recalls  that  when  a  resident 
near  Pittsgrove,  being  told  that  certain  women  members  at  Pittsgrove 
maintained  a  weekly  femalejjprayer  meeting^at^their  homes  for  fifty 
years. 

Upon  the  excision  of  the  element  of  untruth  from  their  midst, 
a  spiritual  era  set  in.  The  same  month  in  which  Mr.  Worth  and  his 
adherents  were  excluded,  three  offered  themselves  for  baptism  and 
ten  others  followed  next  month.  An  administration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  enjoyed,  the  first  observance  of  it  in  ten  years.  Mr.  Oliver 
Leonard  supplied  the  church  after  Mr.  Worth's  removal  for  six  months 
and  was  ordained  in  June  1811.  Up  to  1827,  the  dire  influence  of  the 
past,  hindered  spiritual  growth.  Then  William  Bacon,  M.  D.,  of 
Salem  joined  the  church  and  supplied  the  church  till  August  1829, 
when  he  was  ordained  and  became  pastor.  Dr.  Bacon's  coming  was 
Providential.  His  character  of  high-toned  Christian  completeness  and 
cultured  intelligence  was  an  unanswerable  appeal  against  the  seeds  of 
evil,  which  Mr.  Worth  had  sown  everywhere.  In  1831,  Dr.  Bacon 
included  Woodstown  in  his  field  and  in  1833,  he  began  the  exclusive 


230  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

pastorate  of  Woodstown  church,  closing  in  1833,  seven  years  of  labor 
at  Pittsgrove. 

Rev.  William  Pollard  settled  at  Pittsgrove  in  June  1833.  Allusion 
to  "increasing  congregations"  and  an  encouraging  condition  of  affairs 
in  the  letters  of  the  church  to  the  Association  is  the  only  clue  to  the 
work  of  Mr.  Pollard,  the  church  records  of  that  time  being  lost.  In 
October,  1837,  Mr.  J.  S.  Eisenbrey  was  called  and  ordained  that  year. 
He  stayed  nearly  five  years,  was  a  true  pastor  and  did  much  mission 
work  in  near  by  localities,  often  riding  twenty  miles  into  the  "Pines." 
He  was  a  staunch  advocate  of  temperance.  His  salary  was  but  one 
hundred  dollars  and  the  parsonage  farm.  He  also  taught  the  district 
school  and  instructed  music  classes  and  was  a  very  busy  man.  He 
was  not  singular  in  this.  Salaries  were  very  small  and  the  fields  large. 
Four  or  five  sermons  each  week,  beside  social  meetings  and  many  long 
rides  to  stations  and  to  visit  distant  members.  Seldom  less  than  three 
and  four  sermons  on  the  Lord's  Day  and  a  ride  of  fifteen  to  twenty 
miles.  Sympathetic  and  appreciative  church  members  valued  these 
things  by  their  frequent  gifts  to  the  larder,  the  barn  and  to  the  family 
and  home.  The  salary  nominally,  a  pittance  was  enlarged  and  the 
pastor  had  daily  evidence  of  a  kind  and  thoughtful  people.  Rev. 
G.  S.  W'ebb  said  to  the  writer:  "He  had  noticed  that  the  country  pastors 
always  had  an  ample  store  laid  up  for  old  age." 

The  time  of  favor  for  the  Pittsgrove  flock  came;  Rev.  Charles 
Kain,  Jr.,  son  of  Deacon  Charles  Kain  of  Marlton,  the  father  and  the 
son  men  of  noblest  worth,  settled  at  Pittsgrove  in  the  spring  of  1842. 
At  once,  tokens  of  Divine  favor  appeared.  Old  and  young  had  a  sudden 
and  great  concern  for  their  spiritual  welfare.  Mr.  Kain,  Jr.,  having  been 
ordained  in  September,  scores  were  baptized.  Ere  long,  a  modern 
and  spacious  brick  sanctuary  was  built  in  the  place  of  where  the  old 
house  stood.  Mr.  Kain  stayed  only  four  or  five  years,  choosing  another 
field  where  he  had  previously  labored. 

In  1847,  Mr.  W.  F.  Brown  entered  as  pastor  and  was  ordained. 
While  pastor,  a  parsonage  was  built.  His  stay  was  only  three  years 
Rev.  Abel  Philbrook  followed  for  three  years  till  February  1854.  In 
May,  Rev.  Daniel  Kelsay  became  pastor.  Mr.  Kelsay  was  the  grandson 
of  Robert  Kelsay  of  Cohansie,  who  began  his  ministry  and  was  ordained 
at  Pi  tsgrove.  Like  to  his  grandfather,  he  was  a  man  of  rare  worth. 
Without  sentimentalism  and  clap  trap  notions,  he  was  wholly  indifferent 
whether  his  doctrinal  views  hurt  Daniel  Kelsay  or  not.  In  days  when 
it  cost  position  and  repute,  he  was  an  Abolitionist  and  a  high  toned 
temperance  man.  At  the  Civil  War  he  was  on  the  right  side  and  gave 
a  son  and  that  son  gave  his  life  to  preserve  the  Union  and  to  destroy 


PITTSGROVE  231 

slavery.  Pittsgrove  church  prospered  under  his  labors.  Many  also 
came  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  were  added  to  the  church.  Three 
young  men  were  licensed  to  preach.  One  of  them,  his  son.  Pastor 
Kelsay  held  his  pastorate  ten  years,  closing  it  in  1863.  As  at  Mana- 
hawkin,  so  at  Pittsgrove  his  service  was  of  great  value. 

Rev.  A.  B.  Still  entered  the  pastorate  in  October  1864.  Despite 
his  earnest  and  faithful  service,  the  distractions  through  the  Civil 
War  were  serious  hindrances.  Many  converts  were  a  happy  fruitage 
of  his  labors.  From  November,  1867,  to  April,  1871,  Rev.  Levi  Morse 
ministered  as  pastor.  Within  these  nearly  four  years,  Mr.  Morse 
preached  eight  hundred  and  sixty-six  sermons  and  baptized  one  hundred 
converts  into  the  church.  The  parsonage  was  much  improved  and  a 
mission  chapel  costing  two  thousand  dollars  was  built  at  an  out  station. 
Having  accepted  a  call  elsewhere  the  church  yielded  to  his  removal  in 
August  1871. 

Mr.  Mott  came  from  the  Seminary,  was  ordained,  was  pastor  till 
April  1874.  The  next  August,  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards  became  pastor. 
Morgan  Edwards  is  a  name  widely  known  among  Baptists,  as  even 
Roger  Williams  or  Obadiah  Holmes,  Sr.  The  first  Morgan  Edwards 
whose  "Materials  for  Baptist  History"  are  invaluable,  was  pastor  of 
the  first  Baptist  church  in  Philadelphia.  He  has  been  styled  "the 
Princely  Edwards."  The  Morgan  Edwards  who  settled  at  Pittsgrove 
in  1877,  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Morgan  Edwards  the  historian,  and 
named  for  him  and  as  "mighty  a  man  in  the  Scriptures."  and  as  a 
preacher  as  any  living  man.  How  he  ever  settled  at  Pittsgrove  is 
imaginary  and  was  one  of  his  idiosyncrasies  of  which  he  had  many. 
The  writer  has  knowTi  him  for  forty  years.  He  heard  him  preach  for 
weeks  continuously.  He  has  listened  to  Richard  Fuller,  W.  T.  Brantly, 
Sr.,  John  Hall  and  others  said  to  have  no  superiors,  but  has  never  heard 
a  greater  preacher  than  M.  Edwards,  Jr.  Mr.  Edwards  did  not  stay 
long  at  Pittsgrove.  The  eccentricities  characteristic  of  the  man  may 
be  a  reason.  Whatever  his  peculiarities,  he  was  eminently  a  godly 
man,  conscientious,  benevolent.  His  company  was  a  charm.  Himself 
and  family  were  often  cold  and  hungry  for  he  emptied  his  pockets  to 
give  to  others  what  himself  and  his  were  suffering  for. 

Rev.  L.  Morse  was  recalled  to  be  pastor  in  1875  and  his  second 
pastorate  lasted  till  1878.  Many  were  baptized.  Extensive  improve- 
ments were  made  on  the  church  edifice.  The  old  parsonage  was  sold 
and  another  built  near  the  meeting  house.  Rev.  J.  J.  Reeder  became 
pastor  in  July  1878.  Only  pleasant  things  are  said  of  him  and  of  his 
work  b}'  the  church  and  l)y  those  familiar  with  his  pastorate.  He 
resigned  about  1881.     From  then  till  1900,  six  pastors  followed.     T.  G. 


232  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Denchfield,  one  j'ear;  J.  W.  Taj'lor,  months;  C.  D.  Parker,  three  years; 
E.  B.  Morris,  one  year;  L.  Myers,  eight  years;  F.  H.  Farley,  1897-1900. 
A  new  house  of  worship  was  built  in  a  better  location,  under  Mr.  Myers, 
which  was  dedicated  in  December  1893.  The  same  year  the  church 
received  a  legac)'  of  two  thousand  dollars. 

The  constancy  of  Pittsgrove  under  great  adversities  maintaining 
the  truth  despite  the  defection  of  its  pastor  and  of  his  purpose  to  destroy 
the  church.  The  integrity  of  thirteen  women  for  ten  long,  weary  years 
saving  the  church  is  memorable  and  later,  one  man.  Deacon  John  Combs, 
for  many  years,  steadied  the  trembling  ark.  The  writer  knew  him 
well.  While  the  many  said,  "Give  it  up,"  he  kept  right  on  as  if  the  sun 
was  just  rising. 

We  can  scarce  realize  the  difference  between  the  comforts  and 
convenience  of  our  sanctuaries  and  those  in  which  our  ancestors  wor- 
shipped. The  cabin  home  of  the  new  settler  with  its  small  and  only 
window,  dirt  floor,  its  uncouth  attic,  access  to  which  was  by  a  rude 
ladder  is  no  greater  contrast  to  the  spacious  residence  of  to-day,  with 
its  conveniences  of  light  and  heat  and  furniture  and  baths,  than  is  the 
contrast  of  the  comforts  and  appliances  for  enjoyable  worship  that  we 
have,  with  those  of  an  hundred  and  more  years  ago. 

Since  Pittsgrove  was  organized,  the  church  has  had  twenty  pastors, 
of  whom,  seven  have  been  ordained.  Mr.  Worth  was  pastor  eighteen 
years.  Mr.  Daniel  Kelsay,  nine  years;  Mr.  Myers,  eight  years.  Three 
meeting  houses  have  been  in  use  by  the  church.  The  first  was  built 
in  1742  and  was  in  use  one  hundred  and  three  years.  The  second 
house  was  built  in  1845;  the  third  in  1893  and  is  now  in  use.  Two 
parsonages  have  been  built.  A  house  of  worship  was  built  at  "Old 
Man's  Creek"  in  1773.  Evincing  a  purpose  to  hold  for  the  future  the 
ground  they  then  occupied.  These  early  Baptists  were  enterprising 
and  did  not  spare  either  their  money  or  their  labor  to  build  up  the 
Kingdom.  They  held  truths  well  worth  maintaining  at  the  cost  of 
work,  persecution  and  life. 

Manahawken  is  on  the  southeast  shore  coast  of  New  Jersey. 
There  stood  there  an  old  meeting  house,  twenty-four  feet  square, 
which  Morgan  Edwards  says  was  built  in  1764,  on  an  acre  lot,  the 
gift  of  John  Haywood.  Mr.  Edwards  had  been  misinformed  as  to 
the  date  of  the  building  of  the  house,  for  the  date  of  the  deed 
of  the  lot  is  August  24th,  1758,  and  the  lot  is  described  as  be- 
ginning at  a  stake  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  links  northwest 
from  the  meeting  house,  so  that  the  house  was  there  at  the  date  of  the 
deed.  It  had  also  been  built  before  the  date  of  the  deed.  How  long 
before,  none  can  tell.       It  was  a    Baptist   meeting   house  built  by 


MANAHAWKEN  233 

Baptists  chiefly  by  John  Haywood.  This  church  edifice  was  the  first 
house  of  worship  built  in  Ocean  county. 

The  scarcity  of  houses  for  worship  made  it  a  convenient  center 
for  all  denominations.  Baptists  not  having  a  pastor,  enjoyed  like 
other  good  people  hearing  the  Gospel  from  ministers  of  other  denom- 
inations. Quakers,  Presbyterians,  Methodists  and  other  evangelical 
people  were  welcome  to  it.  Thus  Baptists  answered  the  repeated 
assertion  of  Baptist  bigotry  and  closeness.  Baptists  thus  verified  the 
fact  that  they  had  less  sectarianism  than  other  professed  disciples, 
insisting  as  we  do,  on  our  fundamental  principal,  that  everyone  has  a 
right  to  think  and  to  speak  his  opinions  and  must  be  his  own  judge 
of  his  conscience. 

Mr.  Haywood  was  from  Coventry,  England.  In  a  letter  written 
I)y  John  Brainerd  in  1761,  he  names  Mr.  Haywood  and  Randolph  as 
Baptists  who  entertained  ministers  of  all  denominations  and  that  they 
believed  in  toleration.  Beside  (John  or  James,  the  name  varies  in 
authorities)  Haywood,  "Benjamin  Reuben  and  Joseph  Randolph  from 
Piscataway  settled  in  this  neighborhood.  They  were  visited  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Blackwell  in  1764,  of  Hopewell  (?)  who  preached  and  baptized 
five."  Four  Baptists  from  Scotch  Plains  joined  the  colony  about  this 
time  and  they  numbered  nine  Baptists  (ought  not  this  to  be  nineteen, 
or,  at  least,  sixteen?).  Rev.  Benjamin  Miller  of  Scotch  Plains  visited 
them  and  in  1770,  constituted  them  a  church.  Isaac  Stelle  of  Piscata- 
way and  Peter  Wilson  of  Hightstown,  each  of  these  three  men  accounted 
the  whole  world  their  field.  Comprehending  in  their  sympathies  and 
consciousness  the  needs  of  lost  men  for  salvation.  Nathaniel  Jenkins 
of  first  Cape  May  and  Robert  Kelsay  of  Cohansie  were  men  of  the  same 
kind.  Though  limited  by  their  field  on  the  peninsula  of  southern  New 
Jersey,  to  comparatively  narrow  surroundings.  These  however,  were 
well  looked  after. 

Rev.  H.  Crossley  was  the  first  pastor  of  Manahawken  church  and 
settled  there  in  1774.  Next  year,  Mr.  I.  Bonnell,  a  licentiate  of  the 
church  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained.  He  also  continued 
only  a  year.  With  his  resignation,  a  cloud  overcast  the  church  till 
1799.  The  Association  then  propo.sed  to  drop  the  name  of  the  church. 
But  a  few  members  of  the  Association  claimed  that  if  Rev.  J.  P.  Peck- 
worth  of  Philadelphia  could  visit  them,  he  might  be  the  means  of 
recovery.  He  did  so,  and  found  only  five  women  members  of  the 
church.  Not  the  only  instance  where  a  few  women  saved  the  life  of 
a  church,  as  at  Pittsgrove,  Eatontown  and  others,  of  whom  it  could  be 
written:  "I  know  thy  works  and  has  borne  and  hast  patience  and  for 
my  name's  sake  hast  labored  and  hast  not  fainted." 


234  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Mr.  Peckworth's  visits  and  those  of  others  whom  he  influenced  to 
go  to  Manahawken,  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  many  who  were  bap- 
tized. In  the  meantime,  two  of  the  five  women  died  and  could  three 
women  constitute  a  church,  was  questioned.  It  was  decided,  "Yes." 
In  accord  with  the  words  of  Christ:  "Where  two  or  three  of  you  are 
met,  there  am  I,  etc.,"  The  two  or  three  was  decided  to  be  enough  to 
constitute  a  church.  Pastor  Magowan  and  Benjamin  Hedges  of  Pem- 
berton  visited  the  church  and  at  the  request  of  the  three  sisters,  Sarah 
Perrine,  Mary  Sprague  and  Elizabeth  Sharp,  gave  the  hand  of  fellow- 
ship to  twenty  persons,  who  had  recently  been  baptized.  In  the  same 
year,  four  more  were  baptized  and  the  next  year,  seven  were  baptized 
and  in  1805,  forty-four  were  baptized  and  the  membership  of  the  church 
increased  to  sixty-eight.  Mr.  Carlisle,  a  licentiate  of  Pemberton  often 
visited  Manahawken.  Rev.  Benjamin  Hedges  of  Pemberton  is  said 
to  have  been  pastor  prior  to  1823. 

The  many  gaps  in  the  church  records  make  it  impossible  to  give 
a  consecutive  account  of  the  church.  Rev.  Ezekiel  Sexton  was  pastor 
1834-39.  He  was  an  efficient  pastor,  as  also  a  most  lovely  man.  From 
1839-40,  Rev.  Daniel  Kelsay  was  pastor.  He  was  the  son  of  Robert 
Kelsay  of  Cohansie.  Lacking  the  brilliant  qualities  of  his  father,  he 
was  a  standard  man  of  rare  worth;  the  longer  and  better  known,  the 
more  valued  for  his  integrity  and  intelligence.  While  pastor,  some 
sixty  to  seventy  united  with  the  church.  A  successor  writes  of  him: 
"He  exerted  an  influence  intellectually  and  religiously  on  the  community 
which  is  still  felt."  Part  of  this  time  he  was  principal  of  the  Public 
school  and  sustained  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  best  teachers 
in  the  country  and  many  were  sent  from  a  distance  to  enjoy  the  benefit 
of  his  instructions.  Mr.  Kelsay  had  been  at  Mr.  Aaron's  school  and 
had  caught  some  of  the  incomparable  teaching  gift  of  that  wonderful 
man. 

The  Manahawken  church  has  had  twenty-three  pastors,  two  of 
whom  died  while  pastors.  John  Todd  was  licensed  to  preach,  while 
Mr.  Kelsay  was  pastor  and  later  was  ordained.  Mr.  Todd  was  one  of 
the  most  devoted  and  indefatigable  missionaries  of  the  New  Jersey 
Baptist  State  Convention,  travelling  on  foot  from  Cape  May  to  Long 
Branch  in  the  "Pines"  carrying  the  lamp  of  life  to  thousands,  who 
but  for  him  would  not  have  known  the  way  of  life.  After  Mr.  Kelsay, 
other  pastors  were:  L.  S.  Griswold,  Rev.  Mr.  Philbrook,  James  Thorn, 
J.  Perry,  A.  H.  Folwell,  S.  Semour,  A.  H.  Folwell,  second  charge;  E.  S. 
Browe,  C.  A.  Mott,  C.  P.  DeCamp,  E.  L.  Stager,  who  died  in  the  third 
year  of  his  pastorate.  J.  F.  Bender,  W.  II.  Eldridge,  under  whom  a 
parsonage  was  bought;  W.  N.  Walden,  who  died  in  1893  in  the  ninth 


MANAHAWKEN  235 

year  of  his  pastorate;  G.  C.  Horter,  G.  C.  Ewart,  E.  F.  Partridg;c,  H. 
Stager,  1900. 

The  small  salary  accounts  for  most  of  these  changes.  Manahawkin 
is  an  isolated  field.  Distant  from  business  centers  and  until  a  "resort 
by  the  sea,"  will  not  have  a  large  population.  Still  such  churches 
give  the  Ganos,  Peter  Wilson,  Benjamin  Miller,  Kelsays  and  South- 
worths  to  our  churches  and  are  the  mountain  springs  which  thousands 
of  miles  inland,  nourish  the  oceans. 

The  large  share  which  some  of  our  oldest  churches  have  had  in  this 
distant  locality  is  noteworthy.  Piscataway  and  Scotch  Plains  con- 
tributed a  majority  of  the  constituents  and  Pastor  Miller  was  its  voucher. 
Pemberton  also  came  to  its  aid  in  the  days  of  extremity.  Its  Pastor 
Magowan  did  anew  the  service  Pastor  Miller  had  rendered.  Of  the 
first  meeting  house  we  had  an  account.  It  was  a  memorial  of  a  good 
man,  the  lone  Baptist,  who  did  "what  he  could"  for  Christ  and  for 
his  adopted  country.  When  it  had  fallen  into  decay.  Rev.  C.  W. 
Mulford,  pastor  at  Pemberton,  was  piincipally  instrumental  in  having 
a  second  house  of  worship  built.  Another  instance  of  the  worth  of 
that  good  man  to  coming  generations.  The  third  house  of  worship, 
now  in  use,  was  begun  under  Pastor  A.  H.  FolweU  in  1865,  and  was 
completed  in  1867,  the  first  year  of  Mr.  Browe's  service. 

When  in  1876,  fifty-eight  members  were  dismissed  to  form  the 
West  Creek  church  under  Pastor  C.  A.  Mott;  they  say  referring  to  the 
organization  of  that  body:  "We  have  transferred  to  them  the  church 
property  there."  That  property  was  an  old  Methodist  church  edifice, 
bought  and  repaired,  through  Dr.  T.  T.  Price  of  Tuckerton.  In  the 
winter  of  1875-6,  sixty-nine  converts  had  been  baptized  at  West  Creek, 
These  were  constituted  the  West  Creek  church  and  joined  Manahawkin 
church  as  being  the  nearest  Baptist  church. 

To  have  sent  John  Todd  on  his  mission  of  love  to  the  destitute 
in  the  "Pines"  justified  the  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  of  struggling 
church  life  and  the  early  attempt  of  Mr.  Haywood  to  minister  the 
word  of  life,  and  built  a  house  of  worship,  nearly  two  hundred  years 
since,  compensated  a  thousand  fold  for  the  costs  of  maintaining 
the  church.  The  constituents  of  West  Creek  church,  though  dismissed 
from  Manahawkin  church,  very  rarely  worshipped  at  Manahawken, 
the  link  to  Manahawkin  was  exclusively  the  pastor,  Mr.  Mott,  who 
preached  at  West  Creek  on  the  afternoon  of  the  Lord's  Day. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 


KEYPORT  AND  MATAWAN. 

Keyport  is  on  the  shore  of  the  Raritan  Bay  in  Monmouth  county, 
six  miles  from  Middletown  village.  At  the  time  of  the  organization 
of  the  Baptist  church,  in  1840,  it  was  a  small  village  of  late  origin. 
The  pastors  of  Middletown,  Holmdel  and  Jacksonville  had  appoint- 
ments there  for  several  years  before  the  Baptist  church  was  formed. 
Thus  Baptists  increased  until  their  number  justified  an  organization 
of  a  Baptist  church.  Rev.  J.  M.  Carpenter  of  Jacksonville,  first  made 
a  regular  appointment.  Mr.  S.  Sproul,  a  licentiate  of  Middletown, 
a  resident  at  Keyport  was  active  in  maintaining  social  devotional 
meetings  there.  Providentially,  Rev.  F.  Ketchum,  an  evangelist 
came  to  Middletown.  Hundreds  of  converts  were  a  result  of  the 
meeting. 

A  proposal  to  found  a  branch  at  Keyport  was  rejected  and  a 
Baptist  church  of  eleven  constituents  was  organized  in  August  1840. 
On  the  same  day,  Mr.  Ketchum  baptized  twelve  converts  into  its 
fellowship.  The  Board  of  the  State  Convention  appointed  Mr.  Jackson 
Smith,  a  licentiate  of  Middletown  church  its  missionary  at  Keyport. 
Mr.  Smith  gave  up  the  field  and  in  February  1841,  the  Board  was  asked 
to  appoint  Mr.  William  V.  Wilson  to  Keyport.  They  did  so.  Mr. 
Wilson  was  ordained  in  May  1841.  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  has  lived  and  his 
ministry  has  been  exclusively  in  Monmouth  county.  New  Jersey,  where 
he  has  been  pastor  of  three  Baptist  churches,  Keyport,  Navesink  and 
Port  Monmouth,  closing  his  pastoral  work  January  1,  1892,  of  fifty-one 
years,  being  past  his  eightieth  year  and  pastor  of  the  third  church  to 
which  he  ministered  thirty-eight  years.  These  fifty  years  of  pastoral 
labor  within  so  narrow  a  circuit  is  an  indication  of  the  worth  of  the 
man  and  of  his  influence.  Himself  financially  able,  churches,  missions 
and  education  were  quietly  uplifted  from  depths. 

A  meeting  house  was  built  at  Keyport  the  first  year  of  Mr.  Wilson's 
pastorate.  Originally,  Keyport  church  had  been  constituted  as  the 
third  church  of  Middletown.  Holmdel  being  the  second  Middletown. 
But  in  1850,  the  name  was  changed  to  first  Baptist  church  of  Keyport. 
Soon  after  settling  at  Keyport,  Pastor  Wilson  made  a  regular  appoint- 
ment at  Middleto-wn  point,  (now  Matawan).  He  also  administered  the 
Lord's  Supper  in  school  hou.ses  for  the  convenience  of  the  Baptists 
scattered   in   the    (now   Marlboro   township).     In    1850,   Mr.    Wilson 


MATAWAN  237 

secured  the  erection  of  a  very  neat  and  conimodius  house  of  worshij) 
in  Matuwan.  Mr.  Wilson  resigned  in  August  1853,  after  being  pastor 
more  than  twelve  years.  The  growth  of  the  church  had  been  constant 
and  the  increase  was  such  that  a  larger  and  better  church  edifice  was 
necessary  and  measures  were  taken  to  build  it. 

In  June  1854,  Rev.  J.  Q.  Adams  entered  the  pastorate.  In  little 
more  tlian  a  year,  he  gave  up  his  charge.  Mr.  Wilson  was  called  but 
declined  to  return.  After  a  long  interval  in  the  pastorate.  Rev.  F.  A. 
Slater  accepted  the  pastoral  charge  in  the  latter  part  of  1856.  The 
resignation  of  Mr.  Wilson  delayed  the  plans  for  a  new  house  of  worship, 
but  earnest  plans  were  adopted  at  the  coming  of  Mr.  Slater  and  the 
meeting  house  was  nearly  finished  when  he  resigned  in  1862.  Next 
December,  Rev.  A.  P.  Greaves  became  pastor;  the  new  church  edifice 
was  dedicated  while  he  was  ministering  to  the  church.  His  resignation 
took  effect  in  1864. 

On  the  next  June  1865,  Rev.  F.  F.  Cailhopper  was  called  and  soon 
after  settled  as  pastor.  His  stay  was  but  four  years.  A  long  interval 
occurred  in  the  pastoral  office  and  the  church  prospered  as  much  as 
the  conditions  allowed.  Rev.  J.  K.  Manning  entered  the  pastorate  in 
October,  1870;  held  the  longest  pastoral  charge  the  church  enjoyed. 
Resigning  in  1883,  about  thirteen  years.  The  succession  of  pastors 
since  hji,s  been:  S.  K.  Dexter,  1883-89;  J.  D.  Crumley,  1890-99.  Up  to 
1900,  the  church  has  had  nine  pastors,  two  of  whom  remained  twelve 
and  more  years  each.  Several  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach. 
The  church  has  not  been  disturbed  with  discord.  Deacon  Thomas 
Burrowes  has  been  an  efficient  co-worker  with  the  church  and  the 
pastors.  Equally  active  in  all  missions  in  the  vicintiy  of  the  church 
and  the  Association  missions.  One  church,  Matawan  has  been  colonized 
from  Keyport  church. 

Although  Matawan  Baptist  church  is  closely  related  to  Keyport 
Baptist  church.  Baptist  interests  there  antidated  the  beginnings  of 
Baptist  movements  at  Keyport.  Before  1830,  Pastor  Roberts  of  first 
Middletown  church  preached  in  the  house  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Bent  at 
Matawan.  Pastors  J.  M.  Carpenter  and  J.  Goble  of  Jacksonville  also, 
preached  in  Matawan.  Mr.  Carpenter  lived  in  Matawan  two  years. 
Rev.  William  V.  Wilson,  while  pastor  at  Keyport  preached  regularly 
at  Matawan  for  nearly  nine  years.  Converts  there  were  baptized  into 
the  membership  of  Keyport  church.  Of  the  thirty-two  Baptists  who 
constituted  the  Matawan  Baptist  church  on  October  22nd,  1850,  twenty 
were  from  Keyport  and  a  church  edifice  was  built  for  them  by  Pastor 
Wilson  of  Keyport  the  same  year.  It  would  not  surprise  those  who 
know  Mr.  Wilson  if  they  learned  that  he  was  the  largest  donor  for  its  cost. 


238  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

The  Matawan  church  chose  Rev.  Job  Gaskill  of  Columbus  for 
their  pastor.  Mr.  Gaskill  was  a  missionary  of  the  Board  of  the  State 
Convention  at  work  about  Matawan.  Mr.  Gaskill  was  one  of  the  most 
devotedly  godly  men  and  Mrs.  Gaskill  one  of  the  most  active  and 
earnest  among  Christian  women.  Both  of  them  had  ample  private 
means  and  relieved  the  church  of  wholly  caring  for  them.  Mr.  Gaskill 
was  a  very  frail  man,  though  he  had  immense  courage.  Only  a  few 
months  sufficed  to  lay  him  aside  and  he  was  compelled  to  return  home 
Additions  to  the  church  greatly  strengthened  it.  Mr.  D.  F.  Twiss 
followed  as  pastor.  But  like  to  his  predecessor,  he  was  very  frail. 
Sad  affiictions  befell  him.  Death  claimed  his  four  children.  Disease 
preyed  upon  his  companion  and  hemhorrages  warned  him  of  his  own 
early  death  and  in  October  1853,  he  resigned  to  the  grief  of  the  church 
and  community.  He  died  June  30th,  1857,  and  entered  into  his  re- 
ward. 

In  June  1854,  Rev.  J.  W.  Crumb  became  pastor.  For  four  years 
he  wholly  served  the  chriu'ch.  In  the  last  year  of  his  charge  a  great 
calamity  befell  the  church :  their  church  edifice  was  burned  in  February 
1858.  The  insurance  policy  had  expired  days  before  and  the  loss  was 
total.  The  loss  of  the  pastor  and  the  burning  of  their  house  of  wor- 
ship was  a  concurrence  of  disappointments,  nearly  fatal  to  the  church. 
But  a  conference  of  neighboring  pastors  pledged  them  help  in  their 
need.  Pastor  Crumb  closed  his  labors  at  Matawan  in  May,  1858.  A 
hall  was  rented  and  a  "permanent  supply"  obtained.  Pastor  Slater 
of  Keyport  assured  them  of  an  afternoon  Lord's  Day  service  till  they 
had  a  pastor. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Barnes  settled  as  pastor  in  November  1859,  remaining 
two  and  more  years.  These  years  had  ample  returns.  Large  con- 
gregations waited  on  his  ministry  and  his  executive  gifts  wrought  to 
complete  a  new  house  of  worship.  A  graduate,  Mr.  R.  G.  Farley, 
came  within  a  year  and  was  ordained.  In  the  next  four  years,  their 
ncAV  church  edifice  was  paid  for.  The  hardships  of  short  and  new 
pastorships  and  of  the  fire,  caused  a  decline  of  the  membership  and  of 
the  financial  and  spiritual  strength.  However,  Rev.  F.  A.  Slater 
entered  the  pastorate  in  October  1866.  In  a  few  years,  harvests  of 
converts  and  renewed  vigor  confirmed  the  choice  of  the  pastor.  Mr. 
Slater  was  pjistor  for  twenty-three  years.  Resigning  in  September 
1889,  on  account  of  increasing  infirmities,  suffered  several  years  since 
in  a  railroad  accident. 

'vv  In  January  1890,  Rev.  C.  L.  Percy  became  pastor  and  closed  his 
charge  in  October  1894.  Two  members  of  the  church  (women)  sailed 
in  1892,  for  mission  work  in  India.     Pastor  H.  J.  Whalen  settled  in 


MATAWAN  239 

Junuiiry  1895  and  resigned  in  January  1S99.     On  the  next  June,  Kev. 
J.  Y.  Irving  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor. 

While  the  church  has  hopeful  prospects,  the  commercial  and 
business  future  of  the  town  does  not  indicate  an  extensive  growth.  If 
William  V.  Wilson  is  included  as  pastor,  the  church  has  had  ten  pastors. 
Two  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use.  The  first  built  in  1850  and 
burned  in  1858;  another  now  in  use.  There  is  not  a  published  state- 
ment of  members  having  been  licensed  to  preach  and  yet,  two  female 
members  are  in  India  as  missionaries. 


9^ 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


RED  BAXK,  EATOXTOWN  AND  LONG  BRANCH. 

Shrewsbury  in  which  Red  Bank  is  located  had  been  for  many 
years,  an  unkno^\ai  land  to  Baptists.  Red  Bank  was  a  small  village 
in  1843.  Since  the  ministry  of  Samuel  Morgan,  nephew  of  Abel 
Morgan,  who  followed  his  uncle  Abel  Morgan  when  he  had  died,  as 
pastor  of  first  Middletown,  there  had  not  been  Baptist  preaching  in 
Shrewsbury,  except  the  monthly  service  by  Ptistor  D.  B.  Stout  of  first 
iNIiddletown  at  Red  Bank.  Abel  Morgan  went  everywhere  preaching 
and  if  doors  were  shut,  he  opened  them,  going  in  without  invitation. 
Long  Branch(East)  was  one  of  his  stations.  Samuel  Morgan  kept  up 
the  appointment  and  gathered  many  converts. 

Mr.  Bennett,  who  followed  Samuel  Morgan  as  pastor  of  Middle- 
town  church  dropped  all  the  out  appointments  of  his  predecessors  and 
attended  to  his  farm,  more  than  to  cultivating  spiritual  fields.  AVith- 
out  meaning  to  misrepresent  him,  he  looked  after  himself  rather  than 
after  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Politics  ended  his  ministerial  career  and 
thus  it  happened  that  Shrewsbury  was  lost  to  the  Baptists  and  the 
covetous  greed  of  a  preacher,  also  lost  the  labors  of  more  than  fifty 
years. 

The  first  pastor  and  missionary  at  Red  Bank  renewed  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  Morgans  at  Long  Branch,  and  meeting  descendants  of  the 
early  Baptists,  was  glad  to  hear  the  ministries  of  their  fathers  and 
mothers,  who  had  told  him  that  their  ancestors  were  Baptists,  but 
being  "left  out  in  the  cold,"  had  nowhere  else  to  go  than  to  other 
denominations. 

The  MiddletowTi  shore  of  the  Navesink  river  was  lined  with  Baptist 
families,  but  on  this  side  of  the  river  only  nine  Baptists  lived  in  Red 
Bank,  and  two  east  of  here.  The  Episcopal  and  Presbyterian  churches 
were  in  the  village  of  Shrewsbury,  also  the  "Friends'  Meeting."  A 
Methodist  church  was  in  Rumson;  another  below  Long  Branch;  and  a 
houseless  interest  of  the  Methodist  family  below  Red  Bank.  Pastor 
Stout  of  Middletowm  preached  here  in  the  "Forum"  once  in  each  month; 
also  Mr.  Taylor  of  Shrewsbury  monthly.  These  were  the  only  regular 
religious  services  in  Red  Bank  up  to  November,  1843. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State 
Convention  with  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  A.ssociation  in  Jacobstown, 
September  12th,  1843,  Pastors  Stout  of  Middletown,  Hires  of  Holmdel, 


RED  BANK  241 

and  Wilson  of  Kcyport,  called  attention  to  Red  Bank  and  Shrewsbury 
as  a  mission  field.  Unbeknown  to  one  another,  each  of  them  asked  a 
young  man  to  visit  Red  Bank  and  vicinity.  Impressed  with  this 
concurrent  request  the  yoimg  man  whom  they  asked,  invited  a  mutual 
conference,  when  it  was  arranged  for  him  to  visit  Red  Bank. 

God  was  in  this  thing.  For  many  months  he  had  been  looking 
for  a  place.  He  had  traversed  a  large  part  of  eastern  Pennsylvania 
and  middle  and  west  Jersey;  not  for  a  church, — for  he  had  from  the 
first  determined  that  he  would  not  follow  any  one  in  the  pastoral  office, 
and  would  therefore  settle  in  a  new  and  unoccupied  field  and  have 
only  the  one  life-long  settlement.  He  had  also  a  choice  of  locality, 
and  a  decided  preference  like  to  that  of  John  the  Baptist — a  place  where 
there  "was  much  water."  As  yet  he  had  not  seen  the  place  to  suit 
him.  When,  however,  he  came  here,  saw  these  hills  and  plain  and 
people  and  river  he  said  to  himself:  "I  have  found  it.  Here  I  come 
and  stay  and  die." 

In  October,  1843,  the  Board  of  the  State  Convention  appointed 
him,  T.  S.  Griffiths,  their  missionary  in  this  region  for  six  months. 
Returning  to  Red  Bank,  he  began  his  ministry  on  the  evening  of  No- 
vember 17th,  1843,  with  a  congregation  of  thirty-three  persons. 

Prior  to  his  coming  back  our  Methodist  brethren  had  suddenly 
awakened  to  the  great  importance  of  this  field.  It  is  usually  so.  How- 
ever long  a  place  is  left  desolate,  if  Baptists  enter  it  other  names  of  the 
Christian  family  quickly  discover  the  need  of  its  people  of  their 
doctrinal  ideas.  There  may  be  two  reasons  for  this — first,  the  Baptists 
are  good  leaders;  second,  they  are  safe  to  follow. 

The  pastor's  salary  was  about  two  hunderd  dollars,  and  he  must 
needs  keep  a  horse.  And  yet  he  not  only  did  not  lack  any  needful 
thing,  but  always  had  great  abundance  and  avoided  the  plague  of  debt. 

Large  salaries  were  not  given  nor  expected  by  pastors  in  New 
Jersey  till  later  years.  But  the  salary  was  not  an  index  of  income. 
Really,  the  pastors  then  had  larger  revenues  than  now,  and  those 
who  remained  long  in  the  state  rarely  failed  to  lay  by  a  store  for  retired 
life.  The  longer  settlements  of  former  days  were  due  largely  to  the  bond 
of  mutual  interest  and  love  which  these  tokens  expressed.  The  brisiness 
feature  of  pastoral  settlements  in  these  times  is  the  most  satisfactory 
explanation  of  their  short  and  uncertain  tenure.  It  will  always  be, 
that  pastors  who  impress  the  people  that  their  "living"  is  secondary 
to  their  "service"  will  have  a  place  in  their  hearts  and  a  share  of  their 
substance,  which  very  practically  verifies  the  Scripture.  "The  laborer 
is  worthy  of  his  reward." 

The  early  settlers  of  Shrewsbury  differed  from  those  in  other  parts 

IG 


242  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  Monmouth  County,  chiefly  Quakers.  They  gave  caste  to  the  religious 
ideas  of  the  people.  Other  denominations  made  but  little  progress. 
When  Hicksitism  absorbed  Quakerism,  but  few  remained  of  the  Ortho- 
dox "Friends."  The  door  was  opened  at  the  widest  for  infidelity, 
especially  in  churchle.ss  communities.  Red  Bank,  although  having 
neither  a  house  of  worship,  nor  a  church  organization  was  leavened 
with  evangelical  sentiment.  Numerous  members  of  neighboring 
churches  being  residents  in  the  place. 

The  missionary  of  the  convention  labored  almost  a  year  before 
the  Baptist  church  was  organized.  This  delay  was  caused  by  the 
opposition  of  the  Baptist  household  across  the  river.  Generous  offers 
were  made  to  the  missionary  if  he  would  leave  the  field,  it  being  insisted 
that  a  Baptist  church  in  Red  Bank  would  seriously  impair  the  member- 
ship and  influence  of  first  Middletown  church.  Neither  did  all  of  the 
resident  Baptists  approve  the  movement.  Nevertheless,  a  Baptist 
church  was  formed  of  fourteen  constituents  on  August  7th, 1844.  The 
missionary  was  also,  at  a  later  date,  ordained  as  pastor.  Lots  were 
bought  and  the  walls  of  the  basement  were  built  and  paid  for.  The 
house,  however,  was  not  completed  and  dedicated  until  1849.  The 
same  opposition  to  the  completion  of  the  building  delayed  it,  as  had 
hindered  the  organization  of  the  church.  For  some  time,  the  Secretary 
of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Societ)^  had  been  impressing 
the  pastor  with  the  duty  of  going  West  and  take  charge  of  the  first 
Baptist  church  at  Milwaukee,  Wis.  He  prevailed  in  January,  1850, 
when  the  pastor  resigned  to  go  on  this  mission;  very  much  against  his 
own  convictions.  The  labors  of  this  first  pastorate  were  in  Inying 
foundations.  Usually  in  winter,  he  preached  at  Red  Bank  seven  times 
in  the  week.  In  summer,  four  and  five  times  on  the  Lord's  Day,  riding 
twenty  miles  to  different  appointments.  The  church  edifice  at  Red 
Bank  was  crowded  on  the  Lord's  Day.  A  clergyman  of  another  dt  nom- 
ination was  baptized  and  others,  active  officers  in  Christian  denomina- 
tions were  baptized. 

When  first  constituted,  the  church  was  known  as  the  Shrewsbury 
Baptist  church,  later  the  name  was  changed  to  Red  Bank.  In  August 
1850,  Rev.  R.  T.  Middleditch  became  pastor  and  held  the  office  for 
sixteen  years.  Large  accessions  by  baptism  and  letter  from  first 
Middletown  were  received  in  the  winter  of  1850-1;  those  last  mentioned 
would  have  been  constituents,  but  for  the  opposition  made  to  the 
forming  of  a  Baptist  church.  Concord  and  discord  occurred  at  the 
close  of  Mr.  Middleditch's  t«rm  of  office  and  he  resigned.  Seventeen 
members  were  dismissed  in  1853  to  found  a  Baptist  church  at  Eaton- 
town,  about  four  miles  from  Red  Bank.     Mr.  Middleditch  giving  as  a 


EATON  TOWN  243 

reason  for  this  unwise  step,  his  inaljility  to  occupy  the  field.  Additions 
and  improvements  were  made  in  the  meeting  house  as  occasion  required. 
Following  Mr.  Middleditch,  Rev.  C.  W.  Clark  settled  as  pastor  in  1868. 
A  chapel  was  built  at  Leedville  an  out  station  in  Middlctown  in  1869. 
The  succession  of  pastors  was:  Mr.  C.  W.  Clark,  1868-71;  E.  J.  Foote, 
1871-75;  B.  F.  Leipsner,  1875-82;  J.  K.  Manning,  1883-97;  W.  B.  Matte- 
son,  1897-1904. 

Five  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  One  church,  Eaton- 
town,  has  been  colonized  from  Red  Bank.  The  first  hou.se  of  worship 
cost,  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  C.  G.  Allen  and  with  rare  econ- 
omy, three  thousand  dollars.  The  second,  built  in  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  J.  K.  Manning  cost  thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  difference 
indicates  growth.  Two  deacons  of  first  Middletown  were  among  the 
constituents  of  Red  Bank  church,  father  and  son,  the  venerable 
Daniel  Smith  and  Joseph  M.  Smith.  A  brother  of  Joseph  was  also  a 
deacon  at  Red  Bank  later.  Another  Smith,  also  a  deacon  in  no  wise 
related  to  the  former  family,  had  it  written  of  him: 

"Deacon  Sidney  T.  Smith  was  a  very  modest  man.  But  he  was 
never  known  to  be  missing  when  time  or  money  or  hardship  was  in 
demand.  In  the  torrid  heat  of  summer,  or  the  slush  and  snow  and 
cold  of  wnter,  he  walked  miles  to  be  in  his  place,  superintendent  of  the 
mission  Sunday-school. 

And  of  Joseph  M.,  it  was  truly  said: 

"Deacon  Joseph  M.  Smith  was  a  gentle  spirit;  a  man  of  reading 
and  of  intelligence  and  of  eminent  devotion — a  rock;  always  found 
where  you  would  look  for  him,  and  when  wanted  within  call." 

Red  Bank  has  had  seven  pastors,  one  of  whom  served  sixteen 
years;  another  fourteen  years. 

Eatonto^Ti  was  originally  a  Quaker  village.  The  planting  of  a 
Baptist  church  there  as  early  as  it  was,  was  a  mistake.  It  began  a 
lingering  life  of  disappointment.  Had  a  branch  of  Red  Bank  been 
formed  and  the  pastor  preached  there  monthly  and  social  meetings  on 
other  Lord's  Days,  in  connection  with  the  Sunday  school,  all  would 
have  been  well.  But  two  male  members  were  identified  with  the  church 
and  none  of  the  members  had  been  baptists  long.  The  first  sermon 
preached  by  a  Baptist  in  the  town  was  by  a  missionary  of  the  New 
Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  in  1843.  Religious  meeting  was  not 
remembered  by  the  oldest  inhabitant  ever  to  have  been  held  there, 
except  a  funeral  service.  Only  two  church  members  lived  in  the  place, 
a  hu.sband,  Methodist,  and  his  wife,  Presbyterian.  Occasionally  they 
went  to  their  o-\vn  church. 

A  club  of  men  took  the  "Infidel  Investigator,"  of  Boston.     As 


244  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

colportcirs  they  distributed  the  paper.  When  the  missionary  asked 
for  the  school  house  for  preaching,  there  was  a  long  list  of  ol:)jcctions, 
most  of  them,  silly,  one  that  other  ministers  would  ask  the  same  liberty. 
They  did.  Baptists  coming  to  a  town  opens  the  eyes  of  Pedo  Baptists 
to  their  pernicious  teaching,  and  it  must  have  an  antidote.  Consent 
was  given  and  if  "no  harm  was  done  the  trustees  would  see."  They 
saw  and  continuous  appointments  were  made.  In  the  winter  of  1845 
and  6,  consent  was  given  for  evening  meetings.  These  continued  for 
four  months.  The  missionary  riding  four  miles  and  back  to  Red 
Bank  every  night  through  storm  and  mud.  Divine  power  was  manifest 
in  the  meetings.  One  of  the  proudest  men  and  chief  of  the  club  kneeled 
publicly  and  confessed  his  need  of  Christ.  A  large  number  came  into 
the  new  life  and  the  religious  caste  of  the  place  was  wholly  changed. 

Ten  or  twelve  years  after  the  building  of  the  meeting  house,  it  was 
to  be  sold  by  the  sheriff.  But  seven  women,  the  first  baptized  of  the 
meeting  of  1845  and  '46,  the  only  members  of  the  church  left,  pledged 
each  other  to  save  it  from  sale.  Other  denominations  wished  to  buy 
it.  But  these  women  would  not  sell.  One  of  them  rented  the  house 
and  kept  up  worship  in  it.  About  1871,  the  pastor  of  the  Holmdel 
church  sent  word  to  these  women  and  to  certain  Baptists  living  at  and 
^near  to  Red  Bank,  to  meet  him  in  the  church  at  Eatontown  on  a  given 
afternoon  of  a  Lord's  Day.  A  crowded  house  met  him  and  six  hundred 
dollars  was  raised  to  support  a  pastor  at  Eatontown. 

In  1872,  Rev.  W.  D.  Seigfried  was  secured  and  the  members  in- 
creased from  seven  to  sixty  in  a  short  time.  One  of  the  seven  women 
was  a  grand-mother.  While  young  she  was  converted.  Kindred 
and  friends  urged  her  to  unite  with  them,  with  the  Methodist  church, 
but  she  said,  "No,  the  New  Testament  makes  me  a  Baptist."  But 
they  said:  "There  is  not  a  Baptist  church  in  all  of  this  section."  "There 
will  be  before  I  die  and  I  will  wait  till  a  Baptist  minister  comes  along.  " 
Youth,  middle  life,  children  and  grand  children  came.  The  venerable 
woman  passed,  it  may  be,  her  seventieth  year,  was  one  of  the  four 
whom  the  missionary  baptized  at  Eatontown.  He  welcomed  her 
children  and  her  grandchildren  and  two  of  her  grandsons  are  Baptist 
pastors. 

Seventeen  members  united  to  forni  the  Eatontown  church  in 
1853.  The  pastors  were:  C.  A.  Votey,  1853-55;  J.  Teed,  1856-7,  or- 
dained; H.  B.  Raybold,  1862;  W.  D.  Seigfried,  1872;  S.  V.  Marsh,  1873- 
76;  J.  Marshall,  1876-80;  A.  N.  Whitemarsh,  1880-84;  W.  G.  Russell, 
1884-86;  S.  L.  Cox,  1887;  M.  L.  Ferris,  1889-93;  F.  Gardner,  1894-98; 
M.  R.  Thompson  ordained  in  1898;  O.  Barchwitz,  1899-1900.  Mr. 
Seigfried  became  the  subject  of  discipline  and  was  excluded.     Numerous 


LONG    BRANCH  245 

converts  were  added  under  pastors  Marsli,  Whitomarsh  and  Marshall 
and  expansions  at  the  expense  of  Eatontown  church  were  begun,  chiefly 
by  the  Trenton  Association,  a  chapel  was  built  at  Long  Branch  on  a 
lot  the  Association  had  bought  in  1874. 

Pastor  W.  G.  Russell  of  Eatontown  resigned  in  1886  to  accept 
the  charge  of  the  Long  Branch  church,  formed  by  a  large  colony  from 
Eatontown,  and  Eatontown  that  had  grown  strong  was  again  depleted, 
into  comparative  weakness.  An  unsolved  problem  is:  the  gain  of 
pulling  down  one  church  to  found  another.  From  its  organization, 
the  Eatontown  church  has  had  a  struggle  for  life.  Only  the  pious 
tenacity  of  a  few  women  has  saved  it  from  extinction.  While  the 
population  of  Eatontown  is  as  healthful  in  its  habits  and  as  intelligent 
as  are  other  localities,  some  of  its  pastors  have  been  bad;  which  the 
eminent  worthiness  of  others  has  been  essential  to  redeem  the  church 
from  the  condemnation  of  those  "without."  Thirteen  pastors  have 
served  the  church.  Changes  in  the  pastorate  have  been  due  to  a 
limited  salary  and  is  not  a  fault  of  theirs.  The  Eatontown  church 
colonized  the  Long  Branch  in  1886. 

The  rapid  increase  of  population  on  the  sea  shore  of  New  Jersey 
from  the  interior  of  the  country,  called  attention  to  the  destitution  of 
Baptist  churches  of  that  section.  Between  South  Amboy  and  first 
Cape  May,  there  were  but  two  Baptist  churches  on  the  sea  coast  before 
1865,  Manasquan  and  Manahawkin.  True,  Osbornville  and  Cape 
May  City  near  by.  But  Osbornville  was  back  in  the  "Pines"  and 
Cape  Island  City  is  on  an  island  at  the  extreme  point  of  Cape  May. 
The  Trenton  Association  formed  in  1865,  inaugurated  a  new  feature  of 
Associational  missions  for  waste  places,  within  its  bounds.  Pastor  S. 
V.  Marsh  of  Eatontown,  called  the  attention  of  the  Missionary  Commit- 
tee of  the  Association  to  certain  lots  at  Long  Branch  and  they  were 
bought  by  the  committee  in  anticipation  of  building  on  them  a  Baptist 
meeting  house.  A  statement  in  the  sketch  of  the  Long  Branch  church 
in  the  minutes  of  1891,  that  Rev.  William  V.  Wilson  bought  the  lots 
in  1873,  is  a  mistake.  He  loaned  to  the  committee  two  hundred  dollars 
to  buy  the  lots,  giving  time  to  collect  it.  The  Association  paid  for 
them. 

Ten  years  later,  1883,  steps  were  adopted  by  the  Association  to 
build  a  house  on  the  lots.  With  the  generous  co-operation  of  the 
community,  the  funds  were  collected  and  in  July  1886,  the  house  was 
dedicated  under  pastor  William  G.  Russell  of  Eatontown.  To  the 
churches  of  the  Trenton  Association,  is  due  the  credit  of  buying  the 
lots  and  to  building  the  church  edifice  at  Long  Branch.  There  are 
on  the  sea  shore  of  New  Jersey,  now,  about  twenty  Baptist  churches, 


246  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

all  having  houses  of  worship  built  within  its  limits  through  the  Trenton 
Association. 

On  February  10th,  1886,  thirteen  Baptist  residents  in  and  near 
Long  Branch  met  and  organized  the  Long  Branch  Baptist  church. 
For  months,  Pastor  Russell  of  Eatontown  was  their  supply  and  be- 
came pastor  July  1st,  1886.  In  that  summer,  plans  for  a  parsonage 
and  a  baptistry  in  the  church  edifice  were  adopted.  Mr.  Russell 
resigned  in  1891.  Succeeding  pastors  were:  C.  P.  P.  Fox,  1891-94. 
The  house  of  worship  was  nearly  destroyed  by  fire  in  March  1892. 
But  in  two  years,  a  larger  and  better  house  was  in  readiness  for  the 
church.  G.  B.  Lawson  followed,  1894-96;  George  Williams,  1896-99; 
W.  H.  Marshall,  1899-1900.  The  pastors  at  EatontowTi  endorsed  the 
Long  Branch  movement  and  Mr.  Russell  was  the  first  pastor  there. 
Five  pastors  have  served  the  church.  It  is  but  just  to  credit  the  Bap- 
tist brethren,  sojourners  from  New  York  and  from  other  places, 
with  generously  aiding  the  church  with  both  their  financial  means  and 
by  their  active  Christian  influence  alike  in  building  the  material  temple, 
and  in  the  support  of  the  church,  fully  sharing  in  its  current  expenses. 


S^ 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 


NAVESINK,  ATLANTIC  HIGHLANDS  AND  NEW 
MONMOUTH. 

Second  Middletown  is  a  misleading  name .  Holmdel  was  originally 
second  Middletown  and  Keyport  was  organized  as  third  Middletown. 
This  body  was  fourth  Middletown.  In  1877,  the  misnomen  was  cor- 
rected and  Navesink,  substituted  for  second  Middletown.  The  church 
was  located  in  Riceville  amid  the  Navesink  hills,  south  and  east  of 
Atlantic  Highlands.  Before  1850,  first  Middletown  built  a  chapel  in 
Riceville  in  which  the  pastor  preached  and  where  devotional  meetings 
were  held.  Mr.  Roberts,  the  predecessor  of  Mr.  Stout  in  first  Middle- 
town  had  done  much  mission  work  in  that  vicinity  about  six  or  seven 
miles  from  Middletown  village.  Intemperance  was  a  universal  curse 
along  shore  of  both  Navesink  river  and  of  the  Raritan  bay.  Pastor 
Roberts  had  been  a  pioneer  in  the  temperance  cause. 

There  was  a  family  of  Leonards  in  this  section;  Baptists  of  the 
wide  awake  active  and  godly  sort.  A  son,  Richard  A.  Leonard  was  a 
man  of  the  highest  type  of  practical  active  piety.  He  was  a  deacon  of 
first  Middletown  as  his  father  had  been.  The  son's  benevolence  was 
very  real.  It  is  known  to  the  writer,  that  in  a  year,  when  his  crops 
on  his  farm  failed,  in  place  of  having  nothing  to  give,  he  had  a  note 
discounted  in  bank  for  the  full  sum  of  his  contributions  at  home  and 
abroad  and  paid  them  as  usual.  He  was  an  industrious  man,  not  having 
time  for  gossip  on  the  -pros  and  cons  of  benevolence.  A  brother  called 
upon  him  for  help  to  build  their  meeting  house,  being  told  where  he 
was,  the  man  drove  thither  and  hearing  him  coming,  plowing  corn, 
waited  till  Mr.  Leonard  was  near  and  calling  and  telling  his  business, 
Mr.  Leonard  exclaimed:  "Put  me  down  a  hundred  dollars,"  and 
called  to  his  horse  "Get  up,  Bess."  His  friend  was  amused;  had  a 
lesson  on  not  losing  time.  The  writer  had  also  an  experience  of  Mr. 
Leonard's  way,  at  the  meetings  in  Eatontown  in  the  winter  of  1845  and 
1846.  Though  living  twelve  miles  distant,  Mr.  Leonard  would  drive  to 
the  village,  with  the  pastor,  visited  and  prayed  with  every  family  in 
the  town.  It  is  known  to  the  writer,  that  a  company  of  fishermen 
were  on  the  shore  of  the  Navesink  river  talking  on  the  faults  of  Chris- 
tians. When  Mr.  Leonard  suddenly  came  from  a  defile  in  the  hills. 
Seeing  him,  they  exclaimed:  "There  comes  a  good  man,"  and  he  was 
a  good  man 


248  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

The  organization  of  the  Navesink  church  arose  from  certain  in- 
fluences. Two  parties  were  in  first  Middletown  church,  positive  tem- 
perance men  and  anti-temperance  men:  i.  e.  under  given  conditions 
they  used  intoxicants  and  opposed  total  abstinence  as  a  condition  of 
church  membership.  The  Leonards,  a  large  and  influential  family 
were  very  outspoken  on  the  subject  of  temperance.  A  serious  division 
of  the  church  impended  and  was  only  hindered  by  the  organization 
of  the  Navesink  church  by  the  temperance  party.  In  July,  fifty-five 
members  were  dismissed  from  first  Middletown  to  constitute  the  Nave- 
sink church.  Among  the  number  was  Rev.  Thomas  Roberts,  a  former 
pastor  of  Middletown.  Mr.  Roberts  consented  to  supply  the  young 
church  tiU  a  pastor  was  obtained.  The  arrangement  deferred  a  call 
for  a  pastor  till  the  infirmities  of  age,  demanded  the  relief  of  Pastor 
Roberts,  who  had  ministered  to  the  Navesink  church  for  four  years. 
Mr.  Roberts  died  in  1865,  eighty-two  years  old. 

Pastors  who  followed  were:  E.  S.  Browe,  1858-62;  W.  B.  Harris, 
1862-67;  J.  J.  Baker,  1868-79;  C.  T.  Douglass,  1879-85;  W.  B.  Harris, 
1889-93.  The  location  of  the  church  was  not  congenial  to  growrh  and 
yet,  nearly  one  hundred  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism  in  its 
years  at  Riceville.  During  Mr.  Baker's  charge,  the  old  parsonage,  a  long 
distance  from  the  church  edifice  was  sold  and  another  bought  near  the 
meeting  house.  This  year,  also,  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed 
to  Navesink.  Deacon  R.  A.  Leonard  died  in  this  pastorate,  having 
held  the  office  from  the  organization  of  the  church  till  his  death  in  May, 
1877.  He  was  superintendent  of  Middletown  Sunday  school  and 
then  of  Navesink  till  he  died,  forty-two  years.  While  Mr.  Douglass 
was  pastor,  a  new  house  of  worship  was  built  and  occupied  inl883. 

Important  changes  were  taking  place  in  Atlantic  Highlands,  in- 
volving the  absorption  of  Navesink  Church  by  one  or  more  Baptist 
churches  in  centers  of  increasing  population.  These  interests  took 
shape  in  1888.  It  was  decided  in  that  year,  to  divide  the  church  into 
two  branches,  wdth  the  expectation  that  the  Highland  Branch  (now 
first  Atlantic  Highlands)  would  soon  be  constituted  a  church.  Several 
families  of  the  Leonards  had  already  moved  there  and  a  very  creditable 
house  of  worship  had  been  built.  The  Lord's  Day  morning  service 
had  also  been  transferred  from  RiceviUe  to  that  branch  and  Rev.  W. 
B.  Harris,  an  old  pastor,  had  charge  of  the  Navesink  branch  church 
till  the  organization  of  the  "Central  Atlantic  Highlands,"  church  in 
1893.  Thus  the  Navesink  church  conserved  Baptist  interests  in  this 
field  of  first  Middletown  church  and  l^ecame  two  Baptist  churches. 

In  1889,  one  hundred  and  seven  were  dismissed  to  constitute  first 
Atlantic  Highlands  church.     Four  years  later,  in  1893,  "the  Central 


ATLANTIC  HIGHLANDS  249 

Atlantic  Highlands  churcli".  Riceville  has  thus  become  the  field  of  the 
Central  Atlantic  Highlands  church. 

First  Atlantic  Highlands  and  Central  Atlantic  Highlands  are  so 
identified  with  Navesink  church  and  with  each  other,  that  their  history 
is  involved  in  that  of  Naves'nk.  A  church  edifice  for  first  Atlantic 
Highlands  was  built  in  1884.  In  July,  1888,  the  Navesink  church 
divided  itself  into  two  branches  and  observed  the  Lord's  Day  morning 
service  and  the  house  of  the  first  Atlantic  church.  But  the  incon- 
veniences of  this  arrangement  were  so  real  that  morning  worship  was 
returned  to  Navesink  and  the  Atlantic  Highland  branch  provided 
supplies  for  itself.  Rev.  E.  Loux  was  engaged  for  that  office.  The 
Divine  blessing  was  upon  his  labors  and  many  converts  were  baptized 
into  the  fellowship  of  that  "Branch." 

Eventually,  one  hundred  and  seven  members  of  the  Navesink 
church  were  dismissed  to  constitute  the  first  Atlantic  Highlands  Bap- 
tist church.  These  and  those  whom  Mr.  Loux  had  baptized  were  in 
all,  one  hundred  and  twenty-six,  and  the  first  Atlantic  Highlands 
Baptist  church  was  recognized  in  the  ensuing  February.  In  March, 
1890,  Mr.  Loux  was  called  to  be  pastor.  He  resigned  for  special  reasons 
in  April  1893.  The  reasons  are  given  in  the  history  of  the  Central 
BaptLst  church  of  Atlantic  Highlands.  Rev.  H.  W.  Hillier  followed 
Mr.  Loux  in  1893,  remaining  till  1900.  Rev.  H.  S.  Quillen  settled  in 
1899,  and  was  pastor  in  1900.  The  church  has  not  grown  as  antici- 
pated since  its  organization  and  i*  is  due  to  two  reasons.  One,  location. 
Family  interests  determined  the  choice,  rather  than  the  convenience 
of  residents.  Another,  the  organization  of  the  Central  Atlantic  High- 
lands church.  To  this  body  the  First  church  contributed  forty-nine 
of  its  members  before  the  resignation  of  Pastor  Loux,  indicating  the 
better  location  of  the  "Central"  church. 

The  preference  of  Mr.  Loux  for  the  location  of  the  "Central  church" 
induced  his  resignation  of  the  pastorate  of  the  first  church.  The 
churches  are  not  far  apart,  but  are  not  convenient  to  each  other.  A 
malarial  space  cutting  off  the  first  church  from  the  picturesque  and 
healthier  resident  part  of  the  Highlands.  This  may,  however,  be  in 
time  removed. 

Central  Atlantic  Highlands  Baptist  church  was  constituted  in 
April  1893,  with  ninety-eight  members.  Pastor  Loux  of  first  Atlantic 
Highlands  church,  preferred  tha+  the  first  church  remove  to  the  site 
chosen  for  the  Central  church,  than  that  forty-nine  members  be  dis- 
missed from  the  first  church  to  unite  in  the  constitution  of  the  Central 
church.  Inasmuch,  as  this  could  not  be  done  unanimously,  the  other 
alternative  was  to  dismiss  the  forty-nine  who,  with  one  other  Baptist 


250  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

numbered  fifty,  making  a  coustituency  of  ninety-eight  for  the  Central 
church.  With  the  organization  of  the  Central  church,  the  Navesink 
church  disappears,  its  property  was  transferred  to  the  Central  church. 
Pastors  of  the  Navesink  body  and  all  other  members  are  on  the  register 
of  the  "Central"  church  and  it  is  the  Navesink  church,  including  its 
history. 

In  1893,  Rev.  F.  C.  Colby  became  pastor  and  a  large  and  costly 
house  was  begun.  It  is  said  to  seat  more  than  a  thousand  persons 
and  to  have  cost  many  thousand  dollars.  There  is  scarcely  more  evi- 
dence of  incapacity  than  the  folly  of  such  an  enterprise.  The  pastor 
ought  to  have  had  weight  enough  to  prevent  this  blunder.  There 
was  not  need  of  such  a  house  and  of  its  vast  cost.  The  church  has  been 
burdened  by  its  debt,  which  but  for  this  mistake,  might  have  been  a 
large  and  efficient  body.  Mr.  Colby  resigned  in  1897  and  escaped  from 
a  coming  woe,  a  debt  that  if  it  did  not  swamp  the  church,  it  was  saved 
by  a  successor  at  vast  cost.  The  people  deserved  a  better  leadership. 
Rev.  W.  H.  Shermer  en,  ered  the  pastorate  in  1897.  Death  terminated 
his  usefuUness  the  same  year.  He  was  a  true  and  good  man.  Whether 
hopeless  of  bringing  relief  to  the  church  had  aught  to  do  with  his  death 
is  not  stated.  In  1898,  Rev.  J.  S.  Russell  became  pastor  and  is  now 
(1900)  ministering  to  the  church.  While  only  nine  years  have  gone 
since  the  church  was  organized,  three  pastors  have  served  the  church. 
One  of  whom  died  in  the  year  of  his  settlement. 

Rev.  A.  B.  MacLaurin  became  pastor  in  1901.  Under  his  able 
leadership  the  large  outstanding  debt  was  wiped  out.  May  1903. 

Much  the  same  causes  originated  the  New  Monmouth  church  as 
originated  Navesink  church.  All  of  the  temperance  element  had  not 
gone  into  the  Navesink  church.  Many  older  men  and  women,  who 
in  practice,  were  in  sympathy  with  "Total  Abstinence"  still  thought 
that  a  "little"  for  some  people  as  allowable.  They  had  been  accustomed 
to  its  use  and  to  the  habits  of  a  former  generation.  Neither  was  the 
pastor  as  outspoken  as  Mr.  Roberts  had  been  and  such  sheltered  under 
his  neutrality.  Mr.  Stout,  personally,  was  right  in  his  views  and 
practice.  But  he  loved  peace  and  thus  there  was  a  temperance  and  an 
anti-temperance  party  in  the  church.  An  unhappy  condition  in  a 
church  on  a  moral  question.  In  another  body,  there  would  have  been 
dissention.  Thus  it  was,  that  north  of  Middletown  village,  sixty-three 
members  called  for  letters  of  dismission  and  on  April  28th,  1854,  organ- 
ized Port  Monmouth  Baptist  church.  Rev.  William  V.  Wilson  had 
been  pastor  at  Navesink  in  1853.  Resigning  there  at  the  end  of 'one 
year,  he  accepted  a  call  to  Port  Monmouth  in  1854.  A  house  of  wor- 
ship was  built  immediately,  on  a  lot  at  New  Monmouth  and  in  1899 


NEW  MONMOUTH  261 

the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  from  Port  Monmouth  to  "New 
Monmouth."  The  meeting  house  was  opened  for  worship  in  January 
1856.  An  active  Christian  hfe  was  early  developed.  A  chapel  was 
built  at  Port  Monmouth  in  1855.  The  nearness  of  New  Monmouth 
to  first  Middletown  and  if  Pastor  Wilson  had  accepted  a  proposal  to 
succeed  Mr.  Stout,  when  he  had  died,  in  1875,  a  return  of  New  Mon- 
mouth church  to  the  mother  church  would  have  been  effected.  Pastor 
Wilson  resigned  in  1892,  having  been  pastor  about  thirty-eight  years. 

Rev.  C.  E.  Weeks  became  pastor  in  March  1892;  his  stay  was 
short.  In  October  1894,  Rev.  P.  A.  H.  Kline  settled  as  pastor.  But 
he  died  in  the  next  June,  1895.  Mr.  Kline  was  a  devoted  and  emi- 
nently useful  minister  of  the  Gospel.  With  their  venerated  minister 
living  among  them,  they  were  in  no  haste  to  get  a  pastor.  However, 
in  February  1896,  Rev.  G.  C.  Williams  entered  the  pastorate.  But 
there  was  a  vacancy  at  the  end  of  a  year,  when  Rev.  M.  M.  Finch  took 
charge  of  the  church  in  December  1898  and  was  pastor  in  1900.  New 
Monmouth  has  a  small  field,  and  could  be  consolidated  with  first 
Middletown,  especially  as  the  cause  of  its  separation  in  1854,  has  wholly 
disappeared  and  the  mother  church  can  as  well  as  not  occupy  the 
field  where  two  churches  exist. 


«^* 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


PISCATAWAY    AND  SCOTCH  PLAINS. 

Many  of  the  settlers  in  the  locaUty  of  Piseataway  were  from  Pis- 
cataway  river  dividing  the  provinces  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire 
and  they  called  their  Jersey  home  by  that  of  their  New  England  home. 
Linking  thus  the  memories  of  persecution  and  of  escape  from  bondage 
and  of  freedom.  The  colonists  were  usually  Baptists  and  presumably 
had  been  identified  with  a  Baptist  church  before  their  coming  to  New 
Jersey.  Piseataway  and  Baptists  are  synomonous.  Their  early 
history  is  obscure.  Maine  was  an  appendage  of  Massachusetts,  and 
Puritan  intolerance  could  as  well  reach  them  in  their  hiding  in  the  wilds 
as  in  the  nearer  dwellings.  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania  and  Rhode 
Island  were  the  only  colonies  in  which  free  speech  and  free  confession 
of  God  was  allowed  despite  New  England's  Uttleness  and  conceit.  New 
Jersey  by  its  charter  and  its  colonists  assured  to  its  settlers  not  only 
civil  equality  and  religious  liberty,  but  special  educational  advantages 
were  accorded  there  only  in  North  America.  The  first  free  public 
school  was  in  New  Jersey  in  1668.  (Report  of  State  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, August  31st,  1879.) 

The  charter  of  Bergen  of  September  22nd,  1668,  granted  by  Sir 
Philip  Carteret,  governor  of  the  colony  province  of  New  Jersey,  "stipu- 
lated that  all  persons  should  contribute  according  to  their  estates  and 
proportions  of  land  for  the  keeping  of  a  free  school  for  the  education 
of  our  youth."  (xn  Literature  Co.,  94,  Page  201.  See  also.  Page  191.) 
Prof.  Newman  in  his  invaluable  history  of  Baptists  in  the  United 
States  says:  "It  is  one  of  the  marvels  of  history  that  such  a  king  as 
Charles  II.  should  have  sold  to  such  a  man  as  WiUiam  Penn,  so  large 
and  so  valuable  a  territory  as  Pennsylvania  on  terms  so  highly  favor- 
able to  religious  freedom  and  with  the  certainty  that  it  would  be  used 
for  the  freest  development  of  what  was  then  regarded  as  one  of  the 
worst  forms  of  radical  Christianity."  But  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey  had  pre^'iously  been  largely  settled  by  the  Hollanders,  who 
had  enjoyed  for  years,  the  liberties  they  guaranteed  to  their  colonies. 
No  other  colonies  had  larger  freedom.  Rhode  Island  Charter  might  be 
revoked  at  any  time. 

But  the  charters  of  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  held  Charles  II 
and  the  "Stewarts"  under  obligations,  which  even  Charles  II.  dared 
not  ignore.     William  Penn  was  the  son  of  Admiral  Penn,  who  had 


PISCATAWAY  253 

rendered  services  to  Charles  I  in  the  Civil  War,  which  Charles  II  wa« 
glad  to  remunerate.  William  Penn  was  a  "Friend."  The  Quakers 
stood  aloof  from  the  Parliament  party  and  aided  friends  and  foes  in 
their  need.  Anthony  Sharp  the  (writer's  maternal  ancester)  gralu- 
ously  clothed  the  ragged  army  of  Charles  I.  The  Welsh  also,  were  not 
of  the  Parliament  party.  These  and  the  Quakers  were  the  chief  colonists 
of  Pennsylvania  and  of  New  Jersey.  Anthony  Sharp  and  other  wealthy 
Quakers  had  bought  large  tracts  of  land  in  New  Jersey,  whither  they 
sent  their  persecuted  and  needy  "Friends"  giving  them  a  home.  Thus 
the  "Stewarts"  were  under  obligations  they  dared  not  deny  and  these 
colonies  had  claims  above  any  other.  At  this  time,  it  was  well  known 
in  court  and  in  the  kingdom  that  wealth  and  position  were  valueless 
to  men  who  preferred  their  "rights"  to  their  lives  and  w^ere  ready  to 
endure  any  wrong  than  deny  their  Faith;  men  who  knew  that  conscience, 
duty  and  liberty  arc  Divine  gifts,  which  God  only  may  Hmit. 

The  thoughtful  will  note  how  thus,  the  minutia  of  Jehovah's  plan 
affects  and  effects  the  mightiest  forces  for  the  betterment  of  mankind. 
A  lowly,  unkno-mi  man  confers  a  good  upon  the  hunted  Loyalis*^,wlio 
expiates  on  the  scaffold,  the  wrongs  he  had  committed  against  the 
"rights"  of  humanity  and  a  fugitive  son  regaining  a  throne,  recalls 
the  ministry  of  the  lowly  man  and  uses  his  power  to  restore  to  mankind 
the  "rights"  the  Father  had  denied. 

Judging  by  their  names,  the  pioneer  settlers  of  New  Jersey  were 
of  various  nations.  Holland,  France,  England,  Ireland,  Scotland  and 
Germany  were  among  them,  reminding  us  of  the  early  and  constant 
mission  of  the  Gospel  "to  all  men."  Neither  wife  or  child  is  mentioned 
as  included  in  the  emigrant  company;  there  were  such  however.  The 
names  of  but  six  men  are  said  to  have  constituted  Piscataway  church 
in  1686.  A  year  before  1685,  a  town  house  was  built  and  the  Baptists 
are  stated  to  have  swarmed  into  it  and  preached.  The  building  com- 
mittee was  composed  largely  of  Baptists.  Hugh  Dunn,  a  constituent 
of  the  church,  came  to  the  place  in  1666;  Drake  in  1669-70.  Dunham 
was  of  age  in  1682  and  assumed  the  leadership.  Each  of  these  three 
were  lay  preachers.  John  Drake  was  the  finst  ordained  pastor.  In- 
stead of  the  constitution  of  the  church  having  been  in  1689,  Mr.  O.  B. 
Leonard,  authority  in  such  case,  states  that  it  was  in  1686.  The 
same  mistake  occurs. in  the  date  of  the  origin  of  Middletown  church, 
commonly,  it  is  said  to  have  been  in  1688,  it  was  known  to  have  been 
twenty,  if  not  more  years  earlier,  in  1668.  Pastor  Stelle  wrote  a  history 
of  the  Piscataway  church  in  1746;  states  that  it  was  organized  in  1686. 
Mr.  Killingsworth  is  known  to  have  been  in  Piscataway  in  1686,  "being 
a   witness  to  a  will"  that  year,  and  Mr.  Stelle  says:    "Mr.  Killings- 


254  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

worth  first  settled  this  church  about   1686  and  preached  the  Gospel 
to  them  a  considerable  time." 

Pastor  Drake  was  ordained  1710-15  and  was  pastor  until  1729  and 
then  on  account  of  old  age  ceased  preaching  being  seventy-five  years 
old.  He  died  in  1741,  having  been  pastor  nearly  fifty-five  years,  but 
administered  the  ordinances  till  his  last  illness.  These  data  were  given 
by  Mr.  O.  B.  Leonard  whose  familiarity  with  the  wills  and  deeds  and 
original  sources  of  information  endow  him  as  an  authority  on  all  items 
of  earlj^  history.  The  lack  of  mention  of  wives  and  daughters  was  not 
because  of  depreciation  of  them,  as  this  extract  shows: 

"The  old  Constitution  of  New  Jersej',  adopted  in  1776,  provided 
that  "All  inhabitants  of  this  Colony,  of  full  age,  who  are  worth  fifty 
l>ounds  proclamation  mone}',  clear  estate  in  the  same,  and  have  resided 
within  the  coimty  in  which  they  claim  a  vote  for  12  months  immediately 
preceding  the  election,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote,"  etc. 

"This  was  construed  literally,  as  admitting  all  persons,  male  and 
female,  white  or  colored,  having  otherwise  the  proper  qualifications, 
to  the  privilege  of  voting.  When,  in  1797,  John  Condit,  of  Newark, 
and  WiUiam  Crane  of  Elizabeth  Town,  were  rival  candidates  for  the 
Legislative  Council,  seventj'-five  women's  votes  were  polled  in  Eliza- 
beth Town  for  Mr.  Crane;  but  Mr.  Condit  was  elected.  In  the  Presi- 
dential canvass  of  1800,  the  partisans  of  John  Adams  and  Thomas 
Jefferson  availed  themselves  alike  of  this  provision;  and  females,  es- 
pecially where  the  Society  of  Friends  were  in  strength,  voted  in  con- 
siderable numbers  throughout  the  State.  The  precedent  was  sustained 
year  by  year.  At  first  only  single  women  voted;  afterwards  married 
women  also,  colored  as  well  as  white.  In  Hunterdon  county  a  citizen 
was  chosen  to  the  Legislature  by  a  majority  of  two  or  three  votes,  and 
these  were  cast  by  colored  females. 

"The  circumstance  which  led  to  the  abolition  of  this  custom  was 
the  gross  abuse  of  the  franchise  parctised  in  the  contest  over  the  bridge 
at  Elizabeth  Town  in  1807,  a  bridge  from  Elizabeth  Point  to  Bergen 
Point  across  Newark  Bay.  This  bridge  would  open  a  route  from  New 
York  to  Philadelphia  through  Elizabeth  Town,  to  the  detriment  of 
Newark,  and,  therefore,  the  Newark  people  hotly  opposed  it.  When 
the  day  for  deciding  the  contest  arrived  (Feb.  10)  the  excitement  was 
intense.  Everybody  who  could  pssibly  claim  a  vote  was  brought  to 
the  polls — not  males  only,  but  females,  both  white  and  colored.  It 
was  charged  that  not  a  few  of  these,  by  change  of  dress,  voted  more 
than  once,  and  this  whether  worth  £50  or  not.  The  population  of 
Essex  county  was  computed  to  be  22,139.  Never  before  had  more 
than  4,500  votes  been  cast  in  the  county  at  any  one  election.    On  this 


PISCATAWAY  255 

occasion  the  votes  polled  were  13,857  more  than  half  of  the  whole 
population.  So  glaring  were  the  frauds  parcticcd  that  the  election  was 
set  Jiside  by  the  Legislature,  November  28th,  1807,  and  the  law  author- 
izing it  annulled.  Tne  qualifications  of  voters  also  were  more  strictly 
defined,  and  none  but  free  white  males,  of  21  years,  worth  £50,  were 
allowed  the  elective  franchise  " 

There  were  a  great  army  of  martyrs  who  died  rather  than  deny 
Christ.  They  were  an  efficient  force  in  our  churches  were  essential 
to  the  Christian  activities  of  modern  times.  After  Cohansic,  their 
names  appear  as  constituents,  beginning  with  first  Cape  May  in  1712. 
The  names  of  the  early  settlers  in  Piscataway  are  multiplied  into  legions 
and  are  scattered  over  nine  counties. 

In  1709,  the  membership  of  the  church  was  reduced  to  twenty. 
The  secession  of  Mr.  Dunham  and  whom  he  could  influence  to  accept 
the  Seventh  Day  theory;  the  discord  growing  out  of  division  and  the 
activity  of  the  seceders,  explain  this  low  estate.  Even  under  the  most 
hopeful  conditions;  the  sparse  population,  the  newness  of  the  people 
to  each  other  and  to  the  country  allowed  small  room  for  church  work. 
After  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Drake,  however,  a  great  improvement 
came.  The  financial  ability  of  the  church  must  have  been  limited. 
Probably  he  cared  for  himself,  as  the  custom  was,  when  pastors  lived 
on  their  own  farms  or  having  a  parsonage  farm,  derived  their  support 
from  it.  Ordinarily,  pastors  then  acquired  a  competencey  for  their 
old  age.  Some  of  them  had  large  estates.  Missions  and  benevolences 
were  few,  the  minister  shared  in  abundant  benefactions  from  their 
people.  Then  too,  the  habits  of  living  were  very  plain.  Preachers 
were  not  easily  distinguished  from  their  neighbors  in  either  manners 
or  dress.  Rev.  Benjamin  Stelle  followed  Rev.  Mr.  Drake.  He  was 
born  in  New  York  City  and  was  the  son  of  a  French  Huguenot.  Mr. 
Stelle  was  ordained  when  fifty-six  years  old  in  1739.  Mr.  Stelle  was 
an  eminent  pastor  and  judge  in  the  courts.  Even  though  one  hundred 
years  have  gone  by,  his  name  is  revered.  While  pastor  for  twenty 
years,  until  his  death  in  1759,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years,  the  church 
had  continuous  enlargement. 

Under  his  ministry,  Scotch  Plains,  in  1747,  was  constituted.  His 
son,  Isaac  Stelle  succeeded  his  father  in  1752.  Seven  years  before 
his  father's  death,  he  was  assistant  pastor  to  his  father.  Immediately 
upon  his  father's  departure,  he  became  pastor,  continuing  twenty-two 
years  till  his  death  in  1781,  including  the  seven  years  in  which  he  was 
assistant  pastor,  his  pastorate  was  twenty-nine  years.  He  died  at 
the  age  of  sixty-three  years.  Mr.  Stelle  was  a  remarkable  man.  Pre- 
eminent as  a  preacher,  pastor  and  missionary  to  distant  parts  of  the 


256  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

country.  Morgan  Edwards  said  of  him,  and  he  was  a  most  competent 
witness;  "I  need  not  pubHsh  the  goodness  of  the  man  or  the  excellency 
of  his  preaching.  He  was  remarkable  for  his  travels  among  the  American 
churches  in  company  with  his  other  self,  Rev.  Benjamin  Miller  of 
Scotch  Plains  church,  lovety  and  pleasant  were  they  in  life  and  in 
death  they  were  not  much  divided.  The  one,  Pastor  Miller,  having 
survived  Mr.  Stelle  but  thirty-five  days." 

Rev.  Reune  Runyan  followed  Mr.  Stelle.  He  also  was  of  French 
descent;  was  born  in  Piscataway;  was  baptized  and  was  licensed  by 
the  church  in  1771.  Mr.  Runyan  was  a  great  grandson  of  the  first 
pastor,  Rev.  John  Drake.  Called  to  Morristown,  he  was  ordained 
pastor  of  that  body  in  1772,  serving  as  pastor  there,  eight  years,  re- 
turning to  Piscataway  in  1780  and  became  pastor  of  Piscataway  in  1783. 
Morgan  Edwards  says:  "His  ministry  was  -with  credit  and  success." 

The  colonies  suffered  in  the  Revolutionary  War  and  long  after  its 
end  a  constant  depletion  of  men  and  of  means.  Middleto\vai  by  an 
inheritance  of  thousands  of  dollars  from  Jonathan  Holmes,  a  grandson 
of  Obadiah  Holmes,  Sr.,  alone  escaped  the  exhaustion  which  imperilled 
our  other  churches.  Piscataway  on  the  line  of  travel  and  marches 
between  Philadelphia  and  New  York  was  ravaged  by  both  armies  as 
was  all  New  Jersey  in  the  line  of  their  marches.  Pastors  and  churches 
could  do  little  more  than  "hold  on."  In  1785,  the  membership  of  Pis- 
cataway was  only  thirty-nine,  one  less  than  when  he  settled  as  pastor 
in  1783.  Next  year,however,  a  special  revival  was  enjoyed  in  which 
seventy-eight  were  baptized  and  the  year  after,  twenty-two  were 
added  to  the  church  by  baptism.  In  1786,  Henry  Smalley  Avas  licensed 
to  preach.  Mr.  Smalley  became  pastor  at  Cohansie  and  held  the  second 
longest  pastorate  charge  of  a  Baptist  church  in  New  Jersey. 

Pastor  Runyan's  oversight  of  Piscataway  was  the  dividing  line 
between  periods  of  weakness  and  of  growth.  Up  to  and  after  1800, 
the  religious  state  of  the  nation  was  chaotic.  A  tide  of  continental 
infidelity  that  reached  its  flood  in  the  French  Revolution,overflowed 
into  America.  Jacobin  clubs  were  formed  among  the  people  and 
Washington  dismissed  the  French  Ambassador,  Genet,  on  account 
of  his  meddling  with  the  Christian  interests  of  the  nation  and  pur- 
posing to  introduce  the  infidelities  of  France.  All  the  moral  stamina 
of  Presidents  W^ashington  and  of  John  Adams  was  necessary  to  over- 
come the  influence  of  France  on  our  new  nation.  It  was  a  period  of 
the  Divine  keeping  of  the  Christianity  of  the  country,  for  what  it  was 
to  be,  in  the  relations  of  the  nation  to  humanity.  We  cannot  be  too 
grateful  for  the  elevation  of  the  two  presidents,  George  Washington 
and  John  Adams,  in  our  early  history,  especially  in  their  precedence 


PISCATAWAY  257 

of  Thomas  Jeffcrrfon.  Tho  tone  they  gave  to  the  country  had  matured 
so  positively  as  to  have  continued  in  subsequent  generations. 

There  was  an  intermission  of  the  growth  of  spirituality  in  Piscata- 
way  church;  when  in  1795,  the  church  observed  four  days  of  special 
prayer  "on  account  of  the  coldness  and  barrenness  of  the  affairs  of 
religion."  Following  this  special  season  of  prayer,  refreshing  showers 
of  grace  visited  the  people  and  this  pjistorate  of  twenty-eight  years 
closed  amid  revival  blessings.  Mr.  Runyan  died  in  1811,  seventy 
years  old.  Previous  to  his  death,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  in 
New  Brunswick  in  1810,  where  many  members  of  Piscataway  church 
lived  and  to  whom  Pastor  Runyan  ministered  as  often  as  his  years 
and  strength  allowed.  It  must  be  remembered  that  pastors  in  these 
days  were  hard  working  men  on  their  own,  or  on  a  parsonage  farm 
and  at  seventy  years,  with  pastoral  duties  and  farm  work,  their 
natural  strength  was  impaired  as  later,  relieved  of  farm  work  they 
were  not.  These  mission  movements  indicate  aggression  that  the 
crises  of  recovery  from  the  Re\'olutionary  War  and  the  anticipation 
of  the  war  of  1812,  which  bespeaks  the  reality  of  vital  piety  and 
of  financial  ability. 

On  October  12th,  1812,  Rev.  J.  McLaughlin.  He  was  the  first 
pastor  of  Piscataway  who  resigned  before  "God  took  him."  Mr. 
McLaughlin  lived  in  New  Bnmswick  and  made  another  change  quite 
important.  Preaching  in  the  morning  at  Piscataway  and  in  the  evening 
at  New  Brunswick.  Baptists  in  the  town  were  thus  associated  with 
each  other  and  having  waited  four  years,  organized  a  church  in  the 
city  in  1816,  composed  of  at  least  twenty  constituents.  Mr.  McLaughlin 
supplied  the  church  till  the  spring  of  1817.  His  measures  originated 
the  New  Brunswick  church  earlier  than  it  probably  would  have  been 
and  is  really  the  chief  agency  of  its  constitution.  The  necessity  of  a 
pastor  wholly  devoting  himself  to  the  church  in  the  city  induced  Mr. 
McLaughlin  to  limit  himself  to  Piscataway,  and  doing  so,  remained 
but  a  few  months  longer.  A  contemporary  and  deacon  of  Piscataway 
said  of  him:  "He  was  a  man  of  eminent  piety,  a  good  minister  of 
Jesus  Christ,  grave  in  his  deportment  and  unusually  solemn  in  pulpit 
address."  A  successor  wrote  of  him:  "The  memory  of  his  many 
virtues  and  faithful  labors,  is  still  fondly  cherished  by  those  who  were 
his  contemporaries  in  the  church." 

Daniel  Dodge  became  pastor  about  a  year  after  Mr.  McLaughlin 
resigned,  entering  on  his  duties  October  18th,  1818.  Pastor  Dodge 
while  actively  in  the  ministry,  was  a  foremost  man.  Not  on  accaunt 
of  being  an  eloquent  preacher,  nor  educated  or  endowed  with  natural 
gifts  of  foresight  and  wisdom,  but  because  "sound  in  faith,"  and  having 
17 


258  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

II  certain  dignity  of  manner,  which  impressed  people  that  he  was  not 
to  be  trifled  with.  The  first  3'car  was  a  season  of  special  blessing  and 
many  were  baptized  into  the  church. 

But  his  pastorate,  almost  thirteen  years,  was  full  of  troubles. 
Questions,  questionable  were  insisted  on  by  him.  One,  the  lawful- 
ness of  marrying  a  deceased  wife's  sister.  Another,  the  laying  of  hands 
after  baptism,  a  Gospel  ordinance.  These  were  contrary  to  the  usage 
of  the  church  and  greivous  to  many  of  the  members.  Mr.  Dodge 
was  not  disposed  to  give  up  his  opinions  or  to  assent  to  any  compromise 
with  those  who  differed  with  him.  He  was  a  high-toned  Calvinist, 
a  pious  man  and  in  every  way  a  consistent  pastor  and  preacher.  His 
manner  and  speech  expressed  self-sufficiency  and  while  neither  wholly 
conceited  or  arrogant,  he  was  certain  that  he  was  right.  Appeals  to 
the  Association  were  his  dislikes  and  finally,  by  advise  of  a  "council" 
the  church  yielded  in  the  matter  of  "laying  on  of  hands  after  baptism." 
The  later  years  of  his  stay  were  peaceful.  In  fact,  the  people  were 
amiable  and  consented  to  harmless  traditions,  rather  than  quarrel. 
Mr.  Dodge  was  highly  esteemed  on  account  of  his  integrity.  He  ans- 
wered to  the  Apostle's  exhortation  to  be  steadfast,  immovable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  as  he  understood  it.  Mr.  Dodge 
closed  his  labors  at  Piscataway  in  1832. 

Rev.  D.  Lewis  settled  as  pastor  in  June,  1883.  Good  men  difTer 
on  things  essential  to  church  membership.  Mr.  Lewis  objected  to 
"the  laying  on  of  hands  after  baptism"  and  to,  "that  the  marriage  to  a 
sister  of  a  deceased  wife  was  incestuous."  Discontent  involved  in  these 
differences  induced  a  spiritual  drouth  for  the  time.  But  in  two  or 
three  years,  seasons  of  refreshing  cleared  the  skies,  and  showers  of 
blessing  were  renewed.  More  than  one  hundred  were  baptized  in  an 
associational  year.  The  beloved  pastor  died  in  1849,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three  years,  having  served  the  church  seventeen  years.  One 
who  enjoyed  his  ministry  said  of  him:  "A  plain  man,  unpretentious 
to  learning  or  eloquence,  modest  and  retiring,  sound  in  the  faith,  seeking 
the  honor  of  his  Divine  Master  and  the  peace  and  harmony  of  his  people.' 
The  writer  knew  him  well.  It  could  be  justly  said  of  him:  "A  good 
man  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Pastor  Lewis  lived  in  Piscataway.  After  his  death,  the  church 
bought  a  parsonage  lot,  some  two  miles  distant  from  the  church  edifice 
and  built  a  fitting  residence  for  the  pastor.  It  was  occupied  by  them 
until  1869,  when  it  was  sold  and  a  larger  and  much  better  one  built 
near  the  house  of  worship. 

In  1850,  Rev.  H.  V.  Jones  late  pastor  of  1st  Newark  began  as 
pastor  in  April.     Mr.  Jones  was  noted  for  his  executive  ability.     With 


PISCATAWAY  259 

his  settlement,  dawned  an  era  of  lia-ptistic  life.  At  his  coming,  a  new 
era  began,  realized  not  only  relationship  to  the  whole  world,  but  the 
home  field  was  infused  with  great  activity.  Seemingly,  a  calamity 
occurred  on  January  1st,  1851.  The  congregation  was  gathered  for 
morning  worship,  when  fire  consumed  the  sanctuary.  While  the 
burning  was  in  progress,  a  meeting  was  held  and  most  of  the  money  to 
build  a  larger  and  modern  church  edifice  was  pledged  and  within  a  few 
months  the  building  was  completed  and  dedicated  at  a  cost  of  seven 
thousand  dollars.  A  later  pastor  writing  of  Mr.  Jones  and  of  his  pastor- 
ate says: 

"The  ministry  of  Mr.  Jones  was  greatly  honored  of  the  Lord,  both 
in  adding  souls  to  the  church  and  in  raising  the  membership  to  a  higher 
standard  of  spiritual  life  and  activity.  At  no  time  in  its  history  had 
so  much  been  accomplished  towards  awakening  the  spirit  of  benevolence 
and  securing  systematic  contributions  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  Mission- 
ary societies  were  formed,  and  the  whole  parish  was  divided  into  dis- 
tricts with  solicitors  and  collectors  in  each,  so  as  to  secure  the  co-oper- 
ation of  every  member. 

"Some  time  before  the  close  of  Mr.  Jones's  pastorate  his  health 
so  greatly  declined  as  to  disqualify  him  for  much  of  the  labor  incident 
to  so  large  a  field.  The  Church,  cherishing  a  most  hearty  appreciation 
of  his  ministry,  granted  him  from  time  to  time  indefinite  periods  of 
rest,  in  the  hope  that  he  might  recoevr  his  strength  and  for  many  years 
continue  to  go  in  and  out  before  them,  but  in  this  both  he  and  they 
were  disappointed,  and  in  March,  1856,  he  bade  a  tearful  farewell  to  a 
deeply  attached  people. 

The  first  parsonage  was  completed  in  the  first  year  of  the  settle- 
ment of  Mr.  Jones  and  a  new  church  edifice  was  built  in  the  second 
year  of  his  coming  and  was  paid  for. 

On  October  1st,  1856,  Rev.  C.  J.  Page  settled  as  pastor  and  con- 
tinued for  eleven  years.  His  ministry  was  a  continuous  blessing. 
One  hundred  were  baptized  as  the  fruit  of  one  revival.  The  patriotism 
of  his  people  was  shown  in  1862,  when  the  church  voted  to  allow  him 
to  serve  as  chaplain  in  the  Civil  War  for  nine  months  and  continued  his 
salary  while  chaplain.  Pteturning  home,  refreshings  were  enjoyed  to 
the  end  of  his  charge  in  March  1867. 

In  March  1868,  Rev.  J.  F.  Brown  entered  the  pastoral  office. 
Physical  prostration  and  not  an  appearance  of  recovery  induced  his 
resignation  in  September,  1878.  Each  year  of  his  pastorate  bore  fruit 
of  his  labors,  excepting  the  last,  when  he  was  so  enfeebled  as  to  be 
almost  entirely  laid  aside' by  prostration.     Mr.  BrowTi  was  living  in 


260  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

retirement  in  1900  at  Mullica  Hill,  honored  and  valued,  for  both  his 
work  and  for  his  personal  worth. 

From  1879  to  1895,  Rev.  J.  W.  Sarles  held  the  pastoral  office, 
sixteen  years.  The  activities  of  the  church  were  maintained;  the 
Sunday  schools  were  increased;  the  benevolence  of  the  church  was 
enlarged  and  with  rare  exceptions,  converts  were  annually  added  to 
the  church. 

This  second  Baptist  church  that  survives  its  planting,  south  of 
Rhode  Island,  has  existed  two  hundred  and  fourteen  years  and  has 
had  twelve  pastors.  Four  of  them  had  been  members  of  the  church, 
converted,  baptized,  licensed  and  three  were  licensed  and  ordained 
for  the  pastoral  office  at  their  home.  Four  were  pastors  respectively, 
fifty,  and  twenty,  and  twenty-nine  and  twenty-eight  years.  The 
intervals  of  pastorates  rarely  exceeded  a  year  and  often  only  months; 
so  that  the  church  has  had  almost  continuous  pastoral  oversight,  a 
fact  peculiar  to  itself  and  to  Cohansie.  When  it  is  considered  that  in 
this  period  was  included  the  settlement  of  the  country;  Indian  troubles; 
the  American  Revolution;  the  flood  of  French  infidelity;  the  War  of 
1812  and  the  Civil  War,  the  appreciation  by  these  people  of  the  Gospel 
and  of  their  Baptist  faith,  the  wonderment  is  beyond  expression.  The 
like  is  equally  true  of  Middletown  and  of  Cohansie  and  it  is  not  a  surprise 
that  such  disciples  should  have  endured  persecutions,  emigrant  life, 
more  than  once,  involving  the  loss  of  home  and  country  for  the  truth 
of  God  and  their  faith;  "not  counting  their  lives  dear  unto  them." 

Including  the  pastors,  whom  they  licensed  and  ordained  to  serve 
themselves,  sixteen  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach,  one  of  whom, 
Henry  Smalley,  was  pastor  at  Cohansie  forty-nine  years  and  thus  had 
the  second  longest  Baptist  pastoral  oversight  in  New  Jersey,  which 
like  to  that  of  John  Drake  at  Piscataway,  for  fifty  years  terminated 
only  at  his  death. 

The  first  House  in  which  the  Church  worshipped,  was  built  by 
the  early  settlers  of  the  township.  This  appears  from  an  item  in  the 
town  records,  taken  from  the  official  record  at  Trenton,  Liber,  4,  which 
we  copy  verbatim;  "January  18,  1685-6.  Att  the  Towne  Meetinge  then 
agreed  yt  there  should  be  a  meetinge-house  built  forthwith,  the  di- 
mensions as  followcth:  Twenty  foot  wide,  thirty  foot  Longe  and  Ten 
foot  between  joynts."  This  house  stood  in  a  small  village  now  called 
Piscataway  town,  about  one  mile  south-east  of  the  present  house  of 
worship,  and  near  the  Raritan  river.  The  village  was  for  a  long  period 
of  colonial  times  the  seat  of  justice  for  a  large  extent  of  territory,  ex- 
tending over  Middlesex  and  considerable  portions  of  the  counties  now 
known  as  Union  and  Somerset,     It  was,  doubtless,  in  this  humble 


PISCATAWAY,  SCOTCH  PLAINS  261 

building  that  the  Church  worshipped  from  its  organization  in  1686 
till  1748.  In  the  latter  year,  a  house,  40  by  36,  was  built  on  a  lot  of 
four  and  six-tenths  acres,  bought  of  Alexander  McDowell  in  April, 
1731.  Morgan  Edwards  speaks  of  this  house  as  "a  well-finished  house, 
but  wanting  the  necessary  convenience  of  a  stove."  The  records  of 
the  church  do  not  state  when  this  "convenience"  was  introduced. 
The  house  stood  till  1825,  the  first  year  of  Mr.  Dodge's  ministry,  when 
it  was  taken  down,  and  a  new  and  more  spacious  one  erected  on  the 
same  site  at  a  cost  of  $3,  000.  Its  size  was  52  by  42.  This  house, 
as  already  stated,  was  entirely  consumed  on  the  first  day  of  January, 
1851,  and  on  the  same  spot  was  erected  the  present  house.  Its  size 
is  68  by  52,  having  a  gallery  on  three  sides,  three  aisles,  and  a  recess 
pulpit,  with  an  addition  for  social  meetings  and  the  home  Sunday  school. 
These  four  sanctuaries,  each  larger  and  better,  indicate  the  growth  of 
the  church. 

Many  efficient  churches  have  gone  from  Piscataway  and  they 
have  multiplied  by  scores.  Houses  of  worship  were  built  at  Scotch 
Plains  and  at  Samptown  before  churches  were  organized  at  these  places. 
Piscataway  has  been  a  fruitful  vine.  Far  back  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  members  migrated  into  South  Jersey,  taking  their  Baptist 
ideas  with  them  and  there  to  they  have  had  fruitage.  Essex,  Union, 
Morris,  Middlesex  and  New  York  City  may  congratulate  themselves 
on  their  Baptist  relationship  to  this  venerable  body. 

Even  the  far  south  shared  in  its  benefactions,  through  Benjamin 
Miller  and  Isaac  Stelle,  who  sowed  Baptist  seed  in  its  wide  fields,  where 
in  the  Eatons  and  Hart  of  Hopewell,  shared.  New  Hampshire  Baptists 
lived  anew  at  Piscataway ;  Piscataway  renewed  herself  on  the  sea  shore 
in  South  Jersey,  as  did  Middletown  at  Cohansie  and  at  Hopewell  and 
in  North  Jersey,  in  the  south  and  in  New  England.  These  Baptists 
of  old  times  valued  their  convictions  of  truth  and  were  vigorous  in 
their  dissemination,  as  the  best  and  the  only  truth  of  the  Christ  and 
which  the  world  must  know  to  "inherit  eternal  life." 

Scotch  Plains  was  the  first-born  of  Piscataway  church,  organized 
in  1747.  Local  mission  work  had  developed  Baptist  strength  in  the 
neighborhood.  Its  name  was  given  to  the  locality  in  1685.  A  few 
Scotch  families  had  moved  there  in  1684-5  and  stayed  a  short  time 
and  the  name  has  clung  to  it  since.  But  few  names  characteristic  of 
Piscataway  are  among  the  constituents  of  Scotch  Plains. 

At  the  organization  of  1st  Cape  May  church  in  1712,  an  innovation 
is  the  names  of  women  as  constituents  of  the  church.  This  was  the 
first  mention  of  women  as  constituents.  Since  then,  there  has  been 
no  exception  of  the  names  of  wives  and  daughters  as  constituents.     At 


262  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Scotch  Plains,  there  were  seven  women  and  eight  men  and  of  them 
were  the  uncle  and  aunt  of  Rev.  James  Manning,  the  first  President 
and  founder  of  Brown  University.  Later,  he  was  a  member  of  the 
ehurch,  also,  the  immediate  relatives  of  the  five  Suttons,  brothers, 
all  licentiates  of  Scotch  Plains'and  students  for  the  ministry  as  was 
Manning.  John  Sutton,  one  of  ;the  brothers,  was  an  associate  with  Mr. 
Manning  founding  Brown  University  and  a  foremost  man  of  his  day. 
In  1847,  Rev.  Mr.  Locke,  pastor  preached  a  historical  sermon  in  which 
he  names  only  thirteen  of  the  fifteen  dismissed  from  Piscataway  to 
form  Scotch  Plains  church. 

In  1742,  Baptists  agitated  the  question  of  putting  up  a  house  of 
worship  at  the  Plains,  though  the  movement  was  local,  it  had  the  co- 
operation of  the  mother  church.  The  plan  was  carried  out  in  1743. 
Tradition  reports  that  "Scotch  Plains  lent  a  hand"  to  put  up  the  build- 
ing and  that  it  was  enlarged  in  1758.  Were  young  churches  "set  up  in 
house  keeping,"  the  enthusiasm  of  their  first  love  would  be  economized 
for  growth  and  the  wretched  dwarf  age,  so  often  realized  in  the  bitter 
struggle  of  sacrifice  to  live  would  be  avoided.  The  Scotch  Plains  Baptist 
church  accepted  a  fundamental  Baptist  doctrine  of  individual  libertj' 
to  interpret  the  Scripture.  Accordingly,  at  the  first  church  meeting 
they  chose  deacons  and"Ruling  Elders." 

Many  Baptist  churches  in  earlier  days,  held  that  "Ruling  Elders" 
was  a  legitimate  Scriptural  office  for  churches.  Since  then,  views 
have  changed  and  churches  manage  their  own  affairs.  "Ruling  Elders" 
and  the  pastor  was  an  executive  committee,  a  kind  of  session,  or  con- 
sistory, doing  business  for  the  church.  The  notion  was  a  graft  from 
Presbyterian  or  Dutch  Reformed  churches.  The  church  adopted  two 
rules:  I.  That  the  office  should  be  perpetual.  II.  Its  duties  were 
stated  to  be:  To  agree  with  the  pastor  about  his  annual  salary;  on 
his  removal  or  death  to  call  another  on  trial;  to  approve  a  gifted  brother 
who  may  be  a  candidate  for  the  ministry;  to  settle  any  differences 
among  the  brethren;  to  have  the  oversight  of  the  meeting  house  and 
parsonage  lot;  to  reser^^e,  sue  for,  or  recover  any  gift  made  at  any 
time  for  the  use  of  the  church.  Later  the  duties  were  increased  for 
a  time,  to  receive  or  dismiss  members.  Good  people,  these  were  and 
they  must  have  had  great  confidence  in  their  vestry  and  enjoyed  some 
of  the  most  vexatious  business  done  for  them  and  the  church,  must 
have  been  thankful  that  they  had  so  many  good  men  to  trust  these 
things  to. 

This  plan  continued  for  many  years.  Then,  trustees  were  chosen 
for  the  conduct  of  the  financial  affairs.  The  "permanent  council" 
is    akin    to     the     'Ruling    Eldership."       This    "order"    reached   to 


SCOTCH  PLAINS  263 

and  was  in  Pastor  Millers  day.  His  many  and  long  absences  from 
home  on  misson  tours  may  have  induced  him  to  assent  to  this  arrange- 
ment for  the  relief  of  his  anxieties  when  away. 

The  house  built  in  1743,  was  in  use  for  fifteen  years.  It  was  too 
small  for  the  congregation  and  was  enlarged  in  1758  and  destroyed 
by  fire  in  the  winter  of  1816-17.  Soon  after  it  was  replaced  by  a  larger 
and  better  sanctuary,  wihch  again  was  too  small  and  in  1871,  a  beauti- 
ful building  including  all  modern  appliances  for  aggressive  work  and 
adapted  in  architectural  furnishings  and  musical  appointments,  needed 
by  refined  taste  and  culture.  Four  houses  of  worship  have  been  in 
use  since  1743.  A  parsonage  property  was  bought  in  1775.  The 
dwelling  house  on  it  was  burned  in  1786.  Another,  built  of  stone,  a 
great  improvement  in  all  respects  was  built  immediately.  Through  an 
increase  of  population  and  improvement  in  lines  of  travel  to  centers 
of  trade  the  parsonage  property  became  valuable.  The  sale  of  part  of 
it  made  possible  the  large  cost  of  the  new  church  edifice  built  in  1871, 
judged  necessary  if  the  church  would  hold  its  place  and  command  the 
influence  essential  to  its  best  welfare. 

The  church  has  shared  largely  with  other  Baptist  churches  in  the 
labors  of  eminent  pastors,  both  as  respects  their  culture,  intelligence 
and  spirituality.  Rev.  Mr.  Miller,  the  first  pastor,  when  a  young 
man  was  said  to  be  "wild  and  forward,"  which  means  that  he  was  a 
forceful  man  and  had  in  him  the  making  of  a  man  and  all  of  his  later 
life  proved  him  to  be  a  man  among  men.  His  career,  young  and  old, 
shows  that  he  had  a  "mind  of  his  own."  While  yet  "wild  and  forward," 
he  heard  a  sermon  by  Rev.  G.  Tennent,  stopped;  turned  about  and 
was  made  a  new  creature.  Morgan  Edwards  says:  "Mr.  Tennent 
christened  him,  encouraged  him  to  study  for  the  ministry."  "But  a 
sermon  at  the  christening  of  a  child  set  him  to  thinking  and  to  Bible 
searching  for  authority  for  Infant  baptism.  He  searched  in  vain. 
As  do  all.  He  became  a  Baptist,  offering  himself  to  Piscataway  church 
in  1740;  was  buried  with  Christ  in  baptism."  When  twenty-five  years 
old,  the  Scotch  Plains  church  called  him  to  be  pastor  and  he  was  or- 
dained in  February  1748. 

Mr.  Miller  was  originally  from  East  Hampton,  where  his  family 
settled.  After  the  English  conquest,  it  declared  for  no  taxationwithout 
representation.  The  first  of  the  Millers  in  East  Jersey  was  in  1700, 
coming  from  east  end  of  Long  Island  in  1686.  Under  Whitfield,  he 
was  converted  in  the  first  Presbyterian  church,  New  Brunswick. 

This  interim  when  baptized,  in  1740,  and  his  call  to  be  pastor  in 
1748,  was  probably  spent  in  preparatory  studies,  which  he  had  begun 
before  joining  Piscataway  church.     He  may  have  preached  for  Rev. 


264  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Benjamin  Stelle  at  his  out  stations.  His  early  associations  with  Isaac 
Stolle,  son  of  Benjamin  Stelle,  of  Piscataway  began  in  this  interval. 
It  was  a  devotion  so  mutvial,  and  real  as  bound  the  two  men  for  life 
and  death.  If  one  left  his  home  the  other  accompanied  him.  Living 
for  and  unto  each  other,  and  when  death  came  to  one,  the  other  quickly 
followed.  Scotch  Plains  was  Mr.  Miller's  only  pastorate,  as  was  Pis- 
cataway Mr.  Stella's  only  charge.  Mr.  Miller  was  pastor  thirty-four 
years.  Mr.  Stelle  was  pastor  twenty-nine  years.  Mr.  Miller  was 
sixty-five  years  old  when  he  died.  Mr.  Stelle  was  sixtj^-three  years 
old  at  his  death.  A  stone  tablet  covers  Mr.  Miller's  grave.  His  people 
loved  him  and  had  this  inscription  graven  on  the  stone: 

If  grace  and  worth  and  usefulness 

Could  mortals  screen  from  Death's  arrest 

Miller  had  never  lain  in  dust 

Though  characters  inferior  must 
The  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Association  attest  his  earnest, 
missionary  labors  going  far,  and  for  months  from  home  on  tours  assigned 
to  him.  Isaac  Stelle  of  Piscataway  usually  accompanied  him  on  these 
trips.  The  love  of  these  men,  begun  in  early  days  was  wonderful. 
Said  Morgan  Edwards  of  them:  "Lovely  and  pleasant  were  they  in 
their  lives  and  in  their  death,  they  were  not  much  divided,  the  one 
having  survived  the  other  but  thirty-five  da3's.  Mr.  Miller's  character 
is  hard  to  be  delineated  for  want  of  originality  (in  Mr.  Edwards):  all 
that  hath  been  said  of  a  good,  laborious,  and  successful  minister  will 
apply  to  him."  Appointed  with  Mr.  Van  Horn  of  Penepack,  Pa.,  by 
the  Philadelphia  Association,  to  visit  the  Armenian  Baptist  churches 
of  N.  C,  to  have  them  come  into  our  fellowship.  Their  visit  was  a 
success. 

John  Gano  and  Mr.  Miller  were  dear  friends.  Mr.  Gano  was  a 
chaplain  in  the  army  and  after  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis,  at  York- 
town,  Va.,  he  heard  of  the  death  of  Pastor  Miller  and  said:  "Never 
did  I  esteem  a  ministering  brother  so  much  as  I  did  Mr.  Miller,  nor 
feel  so  sensibly  a  like  bereavement."  His  labors  at  Scotch  Plains 
were  very  successful.  Forty  were  baptized  the  first  year  of  its  organ- 
ization, sixty-eight  in  the  next  year. 

Inasmuch  as  Mr.  Miller  had  an  intimate  relation  to  the  beginning 
of  the  first  Baptist  church  of  New  York  City,  it  is  fitting  to  quote  from 
a  historical  sermon  preached  on  January  1st,  1813,  by  its  pastor.  Rev. 
William  Parkinson.  Mr.  Parkinson  says:  "Jeremiah  Dodge,  (originally 
of  Fishkill  Baptist  church,  later  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.)  settled  in 
this  city  and  opened  a  pra5'^er-meeting  in  his  own  house.  In  1745, 
(Error  in  date.     Church  of  S.  P.,  not  organized  nor  Mr.  M.  ordained. 


SCOTCH  PLAINS  265 

Mr.  Carman  possibly  was  first  in  N.  Y.,  after  1745).  Rev.  Mr.  Miller 
of  Scotch  Plains,  N.  J.,  visited  the  city  (possibly  on  the  invitation  of 
Mr.  Dodge,  who  had  heard  of  him  in  his  residence  at  New  Brunswick, 
N.  J.),  and  baptized  Joseph  Meeks.  The  prayer  meeting  was  thereafter 
held  alternately  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Weeks  and  of  Mr.  Dodge. 

After  1750,  Rev.  J.  Carman  of  Cranbury  (Hightstown)  visited 
them  and  baptized  till  their  number  was  thirteen,  when  they  were  ad- 
vised (by  Mr.  Carman?)  to  unite  themselves  to  the  church  at  Scotch 
Plains,  so  as  to  be  considered  a  "branch"  of  that  church  and  to  have 
Mr.  Miller  preach  and  administer  the  Lord's  supper  once  a  quarter; 
that  was  in  1753." 

LTnder  Mr.  Miller's  labors,  congregations  grew,  and  they  rented  a 
"rigging  loft  on  Cart  and  Horse  streets  (now  William  street)  which  they 
fitted  up  for  worship  and  used  for  three  or  four  years.  The  place  was 
sold  and  as  many  as  could  be  accomodated  worshipped  in  Mr.  J.  Meek's 
dwelling  for  a  year.  Buying  a  lot,  where  the  house  stood  in  1813, 
(Mr.  Ayer's  house  in  which  Mr.  Whitman,  the  Armenian  Baptist  minister 
preached)  they  built  a  small  house  of  worship  and  opened  it  for  worship 
March,  14th,  1760  and  increased  to  twenty-seven  members.  Letters 
of  dismission  were  asked  for  from  Scotch  Plains  in  June  12th,  1762 
and  they  were  constituted  a  Baptist  church  on  June  19th,  following 
Rev.  Mr.  Miller  of  Scotch  Plains  and  Rev.  John  Gano  of  Morristown 
being  present." 

Virtually,  Mr.  Miller  had  been  pastor  in  New  York  City  for  ten 
years  and  the  place  of  worship  was  the  second  in  which  they  had 
worshipped  and  if  the  house  built  by  the  Armenian  Baptists  is  included, 
it  was  the  third  Baptist  place  of  worship  in  New  York  City.  For 
four  years,  after  the  death  of  Pastor  Miller,  "supplies"  served  Scotch 
Plains  church. 

W.  Van  Horn  began  as  pastor  in  December,  1785.  He  w^as  a  man 
of  recognized  legal  position  and  of  social  influence.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  convention  to  form  the  first  constitution  of  Pennsylvania  and 
had  been  a  chaplain  in  the  army  of  the  American  Revolution  and  thus, 
a  suitable  pastor  to  follow  Mr.  Miller.  His  pastorate  of  twenty-one 
years  was  happy  and  useful.  Not  alone  in  accessions  of  baptized 
converts,  but  in  the  re-organization  of  the  internal  affairs  of  the  church. 
The  "Ruling  Elders"  and  the  "vestry"  were  supplanted  by  "trustees." 
The  parsonage  was  rebuilt  and  better  adapted  to  the  pastor's  use. 
Once  each  month  for  fifteen  years,  Mr.  Van  Horn  took  long  and  lonely 
rides  on  bridle  paths  and  preached  at  Morristown,  maintaining  the  life 
of  the  church  there,  so  that  the  Morristown  people  said  of  him:  "that 
he  was  the  father  of  the  church."     At  last,  broken  in  health,  the  pastor 


266  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

yielded  to  necessity  and  resigned.  Having  bought  a  homestead  in 
Ohio,  he  began  the  exacting,  weary  journey  to  it.  But  he  did  not 
reach  it.  He  died  in  Pittsburg  in  October  1807,  and  had  an  abiding 
homestead  in  the  Heavens. 

After  another  widowhood  of  a  year,  the  church  welcomed  Rev. 
Thomas  Brown  to  be  pastor.  His  relation  to  the  church  was  a  con- 
tinuous blessing.  His  pastoral  care  was  twenty  years  and  his  going 
away  was  a  sorrowful  parting.  Only  that  he  had  committed  himself, 
it  is  said  that  he  would  have  reconsidered  his  resignation.  Mr.  Brown 
had  been  a  member  of  the  first  Presbyterian  church  of  Newark,  his 
native  place.  As  is  so  universal,  the  comparison  of  his  Pre.sbyterian 
views  with  the  New  Testament,  left  no  alternative  but  to  be  a  Baptist 
and  united  with  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Newark. 

Nearly  a  year  went  by  ere  the  church  found  in  Rev.  John  Rogers, 
one,  in  whom  they  centered  their  convictions  of  his  inestimable  worth. 
A  characteristic  of  the  early  churches  was  their  wisdom  in  the  choice 
of  pastors.  Mr.  Rogers  was  a  native  of  North  Ireland  altogether 
Presbyterianized  from  Scotland.  Mr.  Rogers  was  pastor  of  a  Presby- 
terian church,  succeeding  his  father  in  its  charge.  The  New  Testament, 
however,  had  "Baptist  chapters."  (See  Pemberton  history  for  an 
account  of  the  coming  of  Mr.  Rogers  to  the  light.  Page  — ).  In 
the  twelve  years  of  his  charge  at  Scotch  Plains,  the  church  shared  largel}' 
in  revival  power.  The  pastor  was  in  heartfelt  sympathy  with  every 
good  thing.  Home  and  Foreign  Missions  were  his  delight  and  he  was 
one  of  the  constituents  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention. 
New  Jersey  and  New  York  were  united  in  the  New  York  Association 
and  Pastor  Rogers  was  appointed  to  preach  the  first  missionary  sermon 
before  the  Association.  His  influence  and  ministry  always  developed 
Christian  activity.  The  mantle  of  his  benevolence  and  active  piety 
has  fallen  upon  his  son,  A.  W.  Rogers,  M.  D.,  of  Paterson,  N.  J.,  than 
whom  few  excel  in  wise  plans  both  for  home  and  abroad. 

When  Pastor  Rogers  resigned ,  Scotch  Plains  had  a  new  experience 
The  Divine  Teacher  himself  had  warned  us  against  deceivers.  A  man 
who  had  been  Methodist,  Presbyterian,  and  now  Baptist,  won  the 
office  of  pastor.  Tried,  exposed,  and  excluded,  he  ended  a  ministerial 
career  of  a  "wolf  in  sheep's  clothing."  The  independency  of  Baptist 
churches  hastens  the  exposure  of  bad  men.  There  is  neither  bishop, 
conference,  or  Presbytery  to  appeal  to  and  delay  judgement.  Such 
are  judged  by  "laymen,"  who  are  neither  a  class  or  an  order,  having 
dignities  to  maintain.  Christians  want  to  believe  the  best  of  the  bad 
and  are  easily  imposed  on,  and  this  explains  why  they  often  are. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Locke  was  pastor  1844-49.  Affairs  in  the  church  were 


SCOTCH  PLAINS  267 

disarranged  by  the  disappointments  and  discipline  of  his  predecessor. 
He  was  helped  by  his  self  confidence.  His  estimate  of  W.  E.  Locke 
and  of  his  scholarship  was  sufficiently  high.  An  illustration  of  his 
Rhetoric  occurred  in  a  sermon  the  writer  heard  before  an  association. 
Referring  to  the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  exclaimed  with  enthusiasm 
"and  the  still  small  voice  of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  come  to  him  with  the 
roar  of  a  lion."  A  historical  discourse  at  the  centennial  of  the  church 
was  a  creditable  history  of  the  one  hundred  years  it  memorialized. 
Prior  to  his  resignation,  he  preached  on  baptism  and  disposed  of  the 
errors  of  our  Pedo  Baptist  brethren  effectively  and  settled  all  questions 
of  mode  and  subjects  of  baptism.  Later  he  resigned  and  united  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  His  sommersault  following  his  assertion 
of  conscientious  conviction,  had  the  effect  at  Scotch  Plains,  of  regret 
that  he  had  not  first  united  with  another  denomination  and  then 
preached  on   baptism. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Rue,  who  followed  Mr.  Locke,  settled  in  1850.  In  the 
midst  of  a  gracious  revival,  Mr.  Rue  was  smitten  with  illness  and  only 
enough  recovered  to  follow  his  companion  to  her  burial.  Both  sickness 
and  death,  after  four  years  of  active  and  to  the  church,  profitable 
service  compelled  him  to  resign  and  to  seek  a  home  in  a  mild  climate,  and 
some  years  later,  when  visiting  near  Hightstown,  he  was  called  higher. 

Pastor  J.  F.  Brown  became  pastor  in  April  1854.  He  had  been 
bom  in  Scotch  Plains  in  the  pastorate  of  his  father.  This  was  the 
second  time  he  had  followed  his  father.  The  ensuing  si.x  years  were 
gladdened  with  many  returns  of  his  efficient  labor. 

On  the  eve  of  the  Civil  War,  in  December  1860,  Rev.  William 
Luke  entered  on  charge  of  the  church.  All  social  and  religious  interests 
were  affected  injuriously  by  the  excitements  of  the  day.  In  the  six 
years  of  his  pastoral  care,  Mr.  Luke  was  true  to  the  calls  of  humanity 
and  of  country.  Alienation  due  to  the  political  conviction  of  the 
people  pervaded  every  interest  and  it  was  most  trying  to  endure  and 
be  faithful.  On  January  1st,  1867,  Mr.  Luke  resigned  and  two  years 
after  entered  on  his  reward  on  high. 

Mr.  J.  C.  Buchanan  had  graduated  from  college  in  1866  and  on 
July  1st,  1867,  accepted  the  charge  of  the  church  in  Scotch  Plains  and 
was  ordained  the  next  October.  His  father  had  been  for  many  years 
an  honored  deacon  of  the  Cherryville  church.  The  new  pastor  was 
greeted  with  tokens  of  revival  blessings.  Since  the  end  of  the  Civil 
War,  time  had  soothed  the  animosities  gendered  by  it;  the  way  was 
opening  for  the  activities  of  piety  and  the  drouth  induced  by  the  strifes 
of  former  years  was  yielding  to  the  hallowed  influence  of  peace.  In 
1870,  a  large  and  beautiful  house  of  worship  was  built.     It  was  ded- 


268  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

icated  in  1872  and  included  modern  appliances.  Mr.  Buchanan  accept- 
ed a  call  to  another  church  and  resigned  in  1878. 

The  succession  of  pastors  to  1900  is:  U.  B.  Guiscard,  1879-83; 
J.  H.  Parks,  1883-93;  J.  S.  Breaker,  1894-98;  G.  M.  Shott,  1899-1904. 

Many  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach,  mostly  in  the  first 
seventy-seven  years  of  the  life  of  the  church.  Of  these  were  five  broth- 
ers, Suttons,  descendants  of  a  constitutent  of  the  church.  Two  of 
them,  David  and  John,  were  licensed  in  1758  and  they  were  ordained 
at  the  same  time  in  1761.  John  was  a  foremost  man  and  was  appointed 
with  James  Manning,  also  of  Scotch  Plains,  by  a  committee  of  the 
Philadelphia  Association  to  go  to  Rhode  Island  to  arrange  for  the 
founding  of  BrowTi  University.  James  Manning,  first  President  of 
Brown  University  was  a  son  of  a  constituent  of  the  church.  Jacob 
F.  Randolph  was  a  deacon  of  the  church  and  licensed  in  1791.  He 
was  pastor  at  Mt.  Bethel,  then  at  Samptown,  led  out  a  colony  that 
became  first  Plainfield  and  was  its  pastor  till  he  died.  O.  B.  Brown, 
another  licentiate,  was  pastor  of  the  first  Baptist  church,  Washington, 
D.  C.  In  fact  there  ought  to  be  no  distinction  by  the  mention  of  these 
names.  All  of  them  were  most  worthy  men,  who  "hazarded  their  lives 
for  Christ,"  and  who  counted  not  the  cost  of  sacrifice  and  service 
for  Christ. 

This  isolated  country  church  has  a  large  place  in  the  educational 
records  of  our  denomination  in  America.  Two  of  her  sons  have  had 
committed  to  them,  the  question  of  time,  of  place,  of  what  and  of  how, 
the  foundations  of  the  educational  interests  of  coming  millions  should 
be  laid.  In  this  particular,  the  Hopewell  church  only  can  be  named 
in  the  same  category.  That  church,  having  had  first  committed  to 
her  the  same  charge,  which  was  so  WTetchedly  wrecked  for  Baptist 
educational  interests  wrested  by  a  foreign  body,  from  the  only  colony 
that  showed  her  concern  for  education,  both  by  her  institution  of 
schools  and  by  her  legacies  in  and  for  their  support  and  developement. 


JAMES  MANNING, 
1738-1791. 


By  0.   B.  Leonard. 


James  Manning  comes  first  into  public  notice  during  1756,  as  a 
pupil  at  Hopewell.  It  will  be  remembered  that  this  pioneer  Seminary 
of  learning,  founded  that  year  by  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton,  under  the  direction 
of  the  Philadelphia  Association,  was  the  first  Baptist  school  in  America 
for  training  young  men  in  denominational  lines  for  the  ministry.     Man- 


Dr.  Manning 


JAMES   MANNING  269 

ning  was  then  a  youth  in  his  eighteenth  year.  His  father,  for  whom 
he  was  named  lived  at  the  time  on  a  farm  a  few  miles  south  of  Plainfield. 
AH  early  references  to  Manning's  birthplace  were  made  as  of  "Eliza- 
bethtown,"  The  playground  of  his  childhood  was  on  the  level  fields 
watered  by  Green  Brook,  Cedar  Brook  and  Ambrose  Brook,  emptying 
into  the  Raritan  at  the  town  of  Bound  Brook.  The  associates  of 
Manning's  youth  were  children  of  Baptist  neighbors,  Fitz  Randolph, 
Drake,  Dunn,  Laing,  Martin,  Stelle,  Smalley  and  others. 

From  the  day  he  commenced  his  preparatory  course  of  mental 
training  at  Hopewell  till  he  finished  his  classical  studies  at  Princeton 
College,  Manning  was  surrounded  with  excellent  instructors  and  many 
eearnest  devoted  students,  who  in  after  years  attained  prominent 
positions  in  church  and  state. 

Besides  these,  and  foremost  of  all  helpful  environments,  was  the 
spiritual  influence  of  a  religious  home.  His  parents  were  James  Man- 
ning and  Grace  Fitz  Randolph.  Both  were  worthy  descendants  of 
early  pioneer  settlers  of  Piscataway  and  connected  with  those  who 
generations  before  planted  the  old  Piscataway  Baptist  church  1686-89. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  led  to  a  serious  religious  life  under  the 
pious  teaching  and  example  of  his  instructor.  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton,  at 
Hopewell.  At  the  time  of  his  conversion  about  the  close  of  his  Academ- 
ic studies,  several  of  his  relatives  and  family  friends  were  connected 
with  the  newly  organized  Baptist  church  at  Scotch  Plains. 

From  his  Academic  studies  he  went  to  the  College  at  Princeton. 
He  graduated  in  1762  with  second  honors  in  a  class  of  twenty-one  men. 
The  next  year  on  the  23rd,  of  March,  1763,  he  married  Margaret  Stites, 
a  sister  of  Mrs.  John  Gano.  The  Stites  homestead  was  a  little  hamlet 
four  miles  from  Elizabeth  City 

Manning  had  been  authoritatively  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel  in 
February  preceding  his  marriage.  On  April  nineteenth,  a  month 
after  being  married,  he  was  officially  ordained  to  the  Gospel  ministry. 
Both  ceremonies  were  observed  at  Scotch  Plains.  His  ordination 
services  were  participated  in  by  his  brother-in-law.  Rev.  John  Gano, 
and  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton,  his  first  instructor,  assisted  by  Rev.  Isaac  Stelle, 
pastor  of  Piscataway  and  by  pastor  Miller  of  the  "Plains  Church"  where 
Mrs.  Manning's  parents  were  influential  members. 

Manning  was  connected  with  this  church,  probably  from  the  date 
of  his  baptism  until  the  winter  of  1764,  Nov.  25th,  when  he  transferred 
his  membership  to  Warren  in  R.  I.  Here  he  was  instrumental  in  or- 
ganizing a  Baptist  church  and  became  its  first  pastor  for  six  years. 
James  Manning  was  never  separated  from  his  New  Jersey  relations  of 
family  and  church.     He  remained  identified  with  the   Philadelphia 


270  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Association  and  nearly  every  year  was  in  attendance  at  its  anniversaries. 

During  the  summer  of  1763,  Manning  had  introduced  to  several 
prominent  Baptists  in  Rliodc  Island  the  proposition  to  found  in  the 
colon}'  a  "Seminary  of  Polite  Literature"  subject  to  the  government 
of  the  denomination.  After  some  opposition  to  the  project  from 
members  of  the  established  church  order  in  New  England,  the  Rhode 
Island  Legislature  granted  a  charter  in  February,  1764. 

To  James  Manning  more  than  to  any  other  one  person,  should  be 
awarded  the  distinguished  honor  of  being  the  founder  of  "Brown  Uni- 
versity." While  the  scheme  may  be  said  to  have  originated  in  the 
Philadelphia  Association,  of  which  Mr.  Manning  was  then  a  member, 
its  development  and  full  realization  must  be  traced  directly  to  his  per- 
sistent and  untiring  efforts. 

In  1770,  Mr.  Manning  moved  to  Providence,  where  the  college 
was  transferred,  and  the  following  year  he  assumed  the  additional 
duties  of  pastor  of  the  Old  First  Baptist  church,  "preaching  with  great 
acceptance  to  an  increasing  congregation  with  good  satisfaction  and 
success."  For  a  period  of  twenty  years  he  continued  the  stated  min- 
ister of  this  church,  while  at  the  same  time  he  discharged  his  varied 
and  arduous  duties  in  connection  with  the  Presidency  of  the  College. 
That  he  was  able  to  perform  such  an  unusual  amount  of  labor  is  account- 
ed for  by  the  fact  that  he  was  gifted  with  a  versatility  and  readiness 
which  enabled  him  to  accommodate  himself  with  great  facility  to  every 
variety  of  circumstance.  Rhode  Island  honored  herself  in  sending  him 
as  her  representative  to  the  U.  S.  Congress  in  1786,  at  a  time  when  the 
old  confederation  was  about  adopting  the  new  constitution. 

Dr.  Manning  represented  the  Baptist  denomination,  on  that  mem- 
orable occasion  several  years  before  in  Carpenter's  Hall,  Philadelphia, 
to  which  all  friends  of  religious  liberty  were  invited.  The  convention 
was  held  October  14,  1774,  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  a  memorial 
to  Congress  for  relief  from  oppression  for  conscience  sake  and  for  the 
legal  establishment  of  ecclesiastical  liberty. 

In  the  midst  of  his  usefulness  and  at  the  prime  of  life  he  was  stricken 
down  by  apoplexy.  He  died  July  29,  1791,  at  the  age  of  fifty-three 
years.  His  wife  survived  him  twenty-four  years,  and  died  in  her 
seventy-fifth  year.  They  never  had  any  children.  Both  lie  buried 
at  Providence,  R.  I. 

He  was  symmetrical  in  form,  with  a  commanding  physique,  grace- 
ful as  a  public  speaker,  with  a  melodius  voice,  and  though  weighing 
nearly  three  hundred  pounds,  his  large  proportions  were  not  noticeable 
in  the  easy  delivery  of  his  full  rounded  sentences.  In  a  memorial 
sermon  preached  by  his  successor,  Rev.  Dr.  Maxcy,  is  this  eulogy  of 


JAMES    MAxNNING  271 

his  character:  "The  loss  of  this  worthy  man  will  be  felt  by  the  com- 
munity at  large.  Nature  had  given  him  distinguished  abilities.  His 
address  was  manly  and  engaging,  his  manners  easy  without  negligence, 
and  polite  without  affectation.  His  eloquence  was  forcible  and  spon- 
taneous. His  life  was  a  scene  of  anxious  labor  for  the  benefit  of  others. 
He  lived  much  beloved  and  died  much  lamented."  Judge  Howell, 
of  Providence,  who  was  an  intimate  friend  of  Dr.  Manning,  expressed 
as  his  opinion  that  the  good  order,  learning  and  respectability  of  the 
Baptist  church  in  the  colonies  were  much  indebted  to  his  assiduous 
attention  to  their  welfare.  The  credit  of  his  name  and  personal  in- 
fluence among  the  denomination  had  never  been  exceeded  by  any 
other  person. 


Seven  churches  have  been  colonized  by  Scotch  Plains,:  first, 
New  York  City  in  1762;  Mt.  Bethel  in  1767;  Lyon's  Farms  1769;  Mana- 
hawkin,  1770;  Samptown,  1792;  Westfield,  1866.  Another  colony 
planted  a  church  in  Kentucky.  In  1748,  the  year  after  the  organization 
of  the  church,  it  was  resolved,  "That  any  brother  belonging  to  this 
church  and  not  praying  in  his  family,  shall  be  admonished  and  if  he 
will  reclaim  well,  and  if  otherwise,  he  shall  be  suspended."  Has  the 
vaunted  life  and  progress  of  the  nineteenth  century  bettered  home 
life?  The  use  of  intoxicants  at  f\mcrals  was  denounced  in  1768.  No 
councils  have  ever  been  called  to  settle  troubles  in  Scotch  Plains 
church,  neither  has  any  serious  difficulty  occurred.  Nine  hundred  and 
forty  have  been  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  church. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


MORRISTOWN,  MOUNT  BETHEL,  AND   MILLINGTON 
CHURCHES. 


According  to  Morgan  Edwards,  Baptists  settled  near  Morristown 
in  1717.  He  says:  "The  Baptist  interest  in  this  part  of  the  country 
had  its  beginning  in  the  following:  "About  the  year  1717,  one  David 
Goble  and  family  emigrated  from  Charleston,  S.  C,  They  being  Bap- 
tists invited  Baptist  ministers  to  preach  at  their  house;  particularly 
Rev.  Isaac  Stelle  of  Piscataway.  By  his  labors  and  the  labors  of  some 
others,  several  were  turned  from  darkness  to  light  and  went  to  Pis- 
cataway for  baptism.  Mr.  Stelle  and  others  continued  their  visits 
and  began  to  have  many  hearers.  To  accommodate  them  the  Gobies 
built  a  meeting  house  at  their  own  expense,  which  was  converted 
to  another  use  when  the  present  one  was  raised.  The  persons  baptized 
who  had  joined  Piscataway,  were:  John,  Daniel  and  Isaac  Sutton, 
Jonas  and  Robert  and  Malatia  and  Mercy  Goble,  Daniel  Walling, 
Ichabod  Tompkins,  Sarah  and  Jemima  Wiggins  and  Sarah  Wiggins,  Jr., 
Naomi  Allen,  Elizabeth  Estell,  Elizabeth  Lines  and  Sarah  Osborn. 
These  sixteen  persons,  after  being  rele;ised  from  Piscataway  were 
formed  into  a  distinct  church,  July  11th,  1752." 

Issac  Stelle  of  Piscataway,  B.  Miller  of  Scotch  Plains,  Isaac  Eaton 
of  Hopewell  endorsed  their  mutual  fellowship  and  constitution  as  a 
Baptist  church.  What  a  wonderful  trio  of  men!  Their  mark  on  the 
ages  will  never  be  effaced  and  their  memory  will  ever  be  associated 
with  the  Nazarene.  Like  him  is  their  memorial.  The  first  meeting 
house  was  built  by  the  Gobies  and  was  located  to  accommodate  the 
constituent  members,  who  all  lived  on  farms  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
borhood; none  living  in  the  village.  In  fact,  the  locality  in  question 
held  at  least  as  many  inhabitants  as  Morristown  itself,  though  a  little 
more  scattered.  Not  till  a  quarter  of  a  century  later  could  Morris- 
town boast  of  more  than  fifty  dwellings  and  a  population  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty. 

Pastors  Stelle  of  Piscataway  and  Miller  of  Scotch  Plains  supplied 
the  Morristown  church  for  two  years  until  a  pastor  settled  in  1754. 
The  church  worshipped  in  the  original  meeting  house  for  seventy  years. 
But  it  was  isolated  from  Morristown,  with  the  result  that  its  Baptist 
and  spiritual  influence  was  dissipated  and  more;  Baptist  teaching  of 


MORRISTOWN  273 

an  open  Bible  and  of  the  right  of  each  person  to  think  and  to  teach 
his  own  convictions  of  truth  and  of  duty. 

Rev.  John  Gano  of  Hopewell  and  graduate  of  its  school  was  the 
first  pastor  of  Morristown  church,  settling  in  1754  and  remaining  three 
or  four  years,  then  removing  to  New  York  City  and  becoming  pastor 
of  the  first  Baptist  church.  Could  Mr.  Gano  have  remained  at  Morris- 
town,  its  early  history  would  have  been  different  from  what  it  is.  Abel 
Morgan,  Isaac  Stelle,  Benjamin  Miller,  Robert  Kelsay  and  others  lived 
and  died  in  more  retired  places  and  God  only  can  estimate  their  life 
work  and  so  with  Mr.  Gano.  All  that  region  would  have  felt  the  in- 
fluence of  his  presence. 

The  writer  copied  these  minutes  from  the  old  minute  book  of  first 
Hopewell  church:  "John  Gano  called  to  exercise  his  gifts,  November 
19th,  1752.  He  did  so,  January  20th,  1753.  Licensed  April,  14th, 
1753,  and  ordained  (at  Hopewell)  May  29th  1754."  The  secret  of 
the  abnormal  condition  of  our  Baptist  churches  in  the  earlj'  days  was 
their  steadfastness.  Their  contentions  for  the  "faith  once  delivered 
to  the  saints;"  sermons  and  disputations  on  baptism  and  on  the  terms 
of  coming  to  the  Lord's  table  were  frequent  and  had  the  largest  publicity 
whether  in  Rhode  Island  in  Penepack,  or  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  Rev. 
J.  M.  Carpenter  preserved  these  incidents  of  Mr.  Gano.  He  knew 
them  as  facts. 

Baptist  churches,  especially  guarded  against  the  admission  of 
unconverted  persons.  The  first  happening  at  Morristown  in  Mr.  Gano's 
charge  was:  An  old  colored  woman  asked  membership  in  the  church. 
Being  very  ignorant,  her  case  was  deferred  and  thus  for  six  times.  The 
last  time,  going  down  the  aisle,  she  muttered,  "Well,  Kate  is  a  Christian. 
By  and  by,  she  will  die  and  then  she  knows  she  will  go  to  Heaven  and 
Jesus  will  meet  her  at  the  gate  and  say:  'Kate,  where  do  you  come  from? 
'From  Morristown.'  'Have  you  been  baptized?'  No,  I  went  to  John 
Gano  repeatedly  and  he  refused  me."  Overhearing  her,  Mr.  Gano  called 
out:  "Stop,  Kate,  come  back  here!  You  are  not  going  to  Heaven 
with  such  a  story  as  that,  about  me."  He  baptized  her  and  she  was 
an  ornament  to  her  profession.  Another  was:  Going  from  Jersey 
City  to  New  York,  crossing  the  river  in  an  open  boat,  deeply  laden  with 
passengers  in  a  fierce  storm,  the  peril  of  sinking  was  great.  The  oars- 
men were  most  profane  cursing  because  a  priest  was  aboard.  Mr. 
Gano  was  quiet.  Landing  safely,  he  turned  to  the  boatman,  said: 
"Thank  God,  there  is  a  Hell  for  sinners."  At  midnight,  he  was  awaken- 
ed by  the  man  begging  him  to  pray  for  him.  In  six  weeks,  he  baptized 
the  man  near  the  place  where  he  had  been  cursed.  These  preachers 
were  not  mealy-mouthed.  They  used  language  that  signified  the 
18 


274  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

coming  doom  of  the  unsaved.  Our  great  denomination  was  not  built 
up  on  platitudes  of  the  Fatherhood  of  God  and  the  choices  of  the  natiiral 
will. 

The  first  candidate  Mr.  Gano  baptized  was  Hezekiah  Smith,  the 
New  England  Baptist  Apostle.  Later  Mr.  Smith  removed  to  Hope- 
well and  Mr.  Gano  was  a  chaplain  in  the  American  Revolutionary 
army  and  heard  General  Washington  say  at  Newburg,  in  1783,  that 
''Baptist  chaplains  were  the  most  prominent  and  useful  in  the  army." 
A  legend  in  the  Gano  family  is,  that:  Mr.  Gano  baptized  General  Wash- 
ington at  Valley  Forge  in  the  presence  of  forty-two  witnesses,  about 
1780.  Later  he  moved  to  Hopewell,  united  with  the  church  there 
and  entered  the  school.  The  writer  copied  from  the  old  minute  book 
of  the  church  as  follows:  "Hezekiah  Smith,  licensed  October  22nd, 
1762." 

In  the  spring  of  1758,  Mr.  I.  Tomkins,  who  had  been  a  constituent 
of  the  church  and  had  been  licensed  to  preach,  became  pastor.  These 
early  churches  frequently  licensed  and  ordained  one  of  their  members 
for  the  pastorate,  evincing  that  they  had  foremost  men  among  them, 
men  of  culture  and  of  intelligence.  This  also  had  illustration  in  the 
administration  of  colonial,  congressional  and  military  affairs.  In 
fact,  the  better  sort  of  people,  both  for  intelligence  and  education 
emigrated  to  and  constituted  the  masses  of  the  nations  settling  in 
North  America.  Baptists  had  their  full  share  of  men  competent  in 
all  respects  to  manage  and  develope  a  nation,  whether  Huguenots 
of  the  South,  English  and  Hollanders  in  the  Middle  States  and 
Puritans  of  the  North.  Everywhere  from  the  St.  Lawrence,  to  the 
Gulf,  the  need  developed  the  men.  Mr.  Tomkins  served  as  pastor 
till  he  died,  three  years.  It  has  been  written  of  him  "that  he  was  a 
true  man  and  an  efficient  pastor. 

Six  years  passed  ere  the  church  called  another  pastor.  Then  again, 
one  of  the  members  was  called  to  be  pastor,  whom  it  licensed  and 
ordained  for  its  service;  John  Walton,  entered  the  pastorate  in  1767. 
Rev.  Samuel  Jones,  in  his  century  historical  sermon,  preached  before 
the  Philadelphia  Association,  in  1807,  names  Mr.  Walton  as  one  of 
the  eight  pre-eminent  men  of  the  denomination,  who,  he  says:  "was  a 
man  of  superior  abilities,  of  refinement,  of  winning  manners  and  exer- 
cised an  influence  of  a  high  character."  The  type  of  the  members  of 
Morristo\\'n  may  be  judged  of  from  these  men,  chosen  for  their  worth, 
from  themselves.  Like  to  his  predecessor,  Mr.  Walton  lived  only  three 
years  and  was  called  to  his  reward  in  three  years,  in  1770.  Of  great 
personal  worth  as  a  citizen  and  Christian,  he  wisely  saw  an  imperative 
condition  to  the  welfare  of  the  church.     While  pastor,  a  lot  was  bought 


MORRISTOWN  275 

in  Morristown  and  a  suitable  house  of  worsliip  built  on  it.  He  did  not 
live  to  see  it  completed.     It  was  dedicated  in  May  1771. 

Six  months  after  Mr.  Walton's  death,  a  licentiate  of  Piscataway 
was  called  to  be  pastor,  Mr.  lleune  Runyon.  He  was  ordained  in 
1771,  and  served  the  church  eight  years.  In  the  American  Revolution, 
there  was  not  any  report  of  the  church  for  several  years.  But  in  those 
reported,  thirty-four  were  baptized.  While  Mr.  Runyon  was  pastor, 
the  church  doubled  its  membership.  There  was  a  kind  of  alliance 
between  Schooley's  Mountain  church  and  Morristown  in  Mr.  Runyon's 
charge,  which  was  equivalent  to  a  suspension  at  Schooley's  Mountain. 
The  matter  is  quite  obscure. 

After  Mr.  Runyon  resigned,  supplies  ministered  for  the  next  eight 
years.  Then,  Rev.  D.  Loof burrow  settled  closing  his  charge  in  1789. 
From  then,  until  1809,  twenty  years,  the  church  had  only  monthly 
preaching.  Rev.  D.  Jayne  serving  one  year  of  that  period,  and  Rev. 
Van  Horn  of  Scotch  Plains  preaching  for  sixteen  years,  each  month, 
till  he  died.  Pastor  Ellis  of  Mt.  Bethel  supplied  Morristown  two  years 
of  this  time.  In  1811,  Rev.  John  Lamb  settled  for  one  year.  At  its 
end,  Mr.  Samuel  Trott,  a  member  of  the  church  was  licensed  and  or- 
dained for  the  pastoral  office  in  1812.  He  continued  pastor  for  three 
years.  Then  there  was  an  interval  in  pastoral  ministration  for  two 
years,  when  in  1817,  Rev.  John  Boozer  settled  and  was  pastor  for  four 
years.  Rev.  S.  Trott  having  returned  from  the  West,  was  recalled  in 
1821,  continuing  till  1826.     He  was  pastor  at  Morristown  twice. 

Mr.  Trott's  pastorate  was  an  unhappy  event.  He  was  a  Hyper 
Calvinist  of  an  antinomian  type.  Positive  and  an  absolutist  as  con- 
cerned his  opinions.  Like  to  other  antinomians  he  knew  all  worth 
knowing  about  the  secret  purposes  of  Jehovah.  The  poison  with  which 
he  infected  the  church  caused  a  paralysis  lasting  eight  years.  Later, 
he  was  a  leader  in  the  Antinomian  movement. 

The  "next  eight  years  was  a  time  of  trial  to  the  faithful  few.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  visibility  of  the  church  would  end.  The  member- 
ship was  reduced  to  thirty-five  and  these  wide  scattered.  But  Deacons 
John  Ball,  Ezekiel  Howell,  J.  Hill  and  William  Martin,  four  of  the  only 
six  male  members  with  some  noble  women"  preserved  the  church. 
Deacon  Ezekiel  Howell  was  clerk  of  the  church,  thirty-six  years  and 
its  deacon,  twenty-nine  years,  until  his  death.  His  son,  Edward 
was  clerk  forty  years  and  deacon,  forty-two  years,  closing  his  Avork 
at  death.  This  son,  Edward,  was  the  only  active  male  member  of  the 
church  for  several  years.  Deacon  Ezekiel  Howell  withstood  division 
and  disaster  as  long  as  he  lived  and  his  son  Edward,  took  his  place 
with  like  courage  and  saved  the  life  of  the  church  until  he  was  called 


276  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST    HISTORY 

up  higher,  leaving  children,  who  since  lift  on  high,  the  banner  of  a  New 
Testament  church.  The  document  appended,  was  found  among  the 
papers  of  Deacon  Ezekiel  Howell  and  indicates  the  man  of  God.  It 
was  sent  to  the  writer  by  his  son,  Edward,  but  with  no  intent  of  this 
publicity.  His  own  handwriting  styles  it  "Covenant,  August  11th, 
1782,"  and  signed  ''Ezekiel  Howell." 

"Eternal  and  ever  blessed  God,  I  desire  to  present  myself  before 
Thee  with  the  deepest  humiliation  and  abasement  of  Soul,  sensible 
how  unworthy  Such  a  sinful  Worm  is  to  appear  before  the  Holy  Majesty 
of  Heaven,  the  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords,  and  especially  on  Such 
an  occasion  as  this,  eA'en  to  enter  into  a  Covenant  Transaction  with  Thee. 
But  the  Scheme  and  the  Plan  is  thine  own,  thine  Infinite  condescension 
hath  offered  it  by  thy  Son,  and  thy  Grace  hath  inclined  my  Heart  to 
accept  of  it. 

"I  come,  therefore,  acknowledging  myself  to  have  been  a  great 
offender,  smiting  my  breast  and  Saying  with  the  humble  Publican, 
"God  be  merciful  to  me  a  Sirmer."  I  come  invited  by  the  Name  of 
Thy  Son,  and  wholly  trusting  in  his  perfect  Righteousness  intreating 
that  for  his  Sake  thou  wilt  be  merciful  to  my  Unrighteousness  and  wilt 
no  more  remember  my  sins.  Receive,  I  beseech  thee,  Thy  revolted 
Creature,  who  is  now  convinced  of  thy  right  to  him  and  desires  nothing 
so  much  as  that  he  may  be  thine. 

"This  Day  do  I  with  the  Utmost  Solemnity  Surrender  myself  to 
Thee.  I  renounce  all  former  Lord's  that  have  had  Dominion  over  me; 
and  I  consecrate  to  thee  all  that  I  am  and  all  that  I  have;  the  Faculties 
of  my  mind,  the  members  of  my  Body,  my  worldly  possessions,  my  time, 
and  my  Influence  over  others;  to  be  all  used  entirely  for  thy  Glory,  and 
resolutely  employed  in  oljedience  to  thy  Commands  as  long  as  thou 
continuest  me  in  life;  with  an  ardent  Desire  and  humble  Resolution  to 
continue  thine  thro  all  the  endless  ages  of  Eternity;  Ever  holding 
myself  in  an  attentive  Posture  to  observe  the  First  Intimations  of  thy 
will,  and  ready  to  spring  forward  with  Zeal  and  Joy  to  the  immediate 
execution  of  it.  To  thy  direction  I  resign  myself  and  all  I  am  a  nd  have 
to  be  disposed  of  by  thee  in  such  manner  as  thou  shalt  in  thine  infinite 
Wisdom  judge  most  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  thy  Glory;  to  thee 
I  leave  the  management  of  all  Events  &  Say  without  reserve  "Not  my 
will,  but  thine,  be  done,"  rejoicing  with  a  loyal  heart  in  thine  unlimited 
government  what  ought  to  be  the  Delight  of  the  Whole  Rational  Creait- 
ation.  Use  me,  O,  Lord,  I  beseech  thee  as  an  instrument  of  thy  service. 
Number  me  among  thy  peculiar  people  let  me  be  washed  in  the  blood 
of  thy  dear  Son,  let  me  be  Clothed  with  his  Righteousness,  let  me  be 
Sanctified  by  his  Spirit  Transform  me  more  &  more  into  his  Image, 


MORRISTOWN  277 

impart  to  me  thro  him  all  needful  Influences  of  the  purifying,  cheering 
&  comforting  Spirit,  And  let  my  life  be  spent  under  those  Influences 
and  in  the  light  of  thy  Gracious  Countenance  as  my  Father  and  my 
God. 

"And  when  the  Solemn  Hour  of  Death  shall  come,  may  I  remember 
this  thy  Covenant  well  ordered  in  all  things  &  sure,  as  all  my  Salvation 
and  all  my  Desire,  tho  every  other  hope  &  enjoyment  is  perishing;  and 
do  thou,  O.  Lord,  remember  it  too.  Look  down  with  pity  O  my  heaven- 
ly Father  on  thy  languishing  Dying  Child,  Embrace  me  in  the  Ever- 
lasting Arms,  put  strength  and  Confidence  into  my  departing  Spirit, 
And  receive  into  the  abodes  of  them  that  Sleep  in  Jesus  peacefully 
and  joyfully  to  wait  the  Accomplishment  of  thy  great  Promise  To  all 
thy  people,  even  that  of  a  glorious  Resurrection,  and  of  Eternal  Happi- 
ness in  thine  Heavenly  Glory. 

"And  if  any  surviving  friend  Should  when  I  am  in  the  dust  meet 
with  this  Memorial  of  my  Solemn  Transactions  with  thee,  may  he  make 
the  Same  Engagements  his  own,  &  do  thou  graciously  admit  him  to 
partake  In  all  the  Blessings  of  Thy  Covenant  through  Jesus  the  great 
Mediator  of  it; 

"To  whom  with  Thee  O  Father  and  Thy  Holy  Spirit  be  Everlasting 
Praises  ascribed  by  all  the  Millions  who  are  thus  Saved  by  thee  and  by 
all  those  other  Celestial  Spirits  in  whose  Work  and  Blessedness  thou 
shalt  call  them  to  share.  " 

Amen,  So  be  it. 

"May  the  Covenant  that  I  have  made  on  Earth  be  Ratified  in 
Heaven." 

EZEKIEL    HOWELL. 
August  nth,  1782. 

This  covenant  was  made  by  Mr.  Howell  before  he  united  with  the 
church. 

Toward  the  close  of  1834,  Rev.  William  Sym  became  pastor.  An 
immediate  change  occurred  in  the  church.  From  the  outside,  universal 
respect  was  given  to  it;  the  congregations  grew;  converts  were  added 
and  life  infused  into  the  church.  Mr.  Sym  was  called  to  Newark  and 
closed  his  work  in  Morristown  in  1839.  His  pastorate  gave  an  abiding 
impetus  to  the  church.  Antinomianism  was  cast  out  not  by  con- 
tention, for  Mr.  Sym  was  a  high  toned  Calvinistic  preacher,  but  he  gave 
direction  to  the  currents;  faith  in  God,  supplanted  fatalism;  his  sover- 
eignty inspired  cheer  in  efforts  for  him.  Thus  as  Bancroft  has  said  of 
Calvinism  what  has  been  accomplished  for  the  spiritual  betterment  of 
mankind  and  for  progress  of  civilization  has  been  done  by  men  of 
Calvinistic  ideas. 


278  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

A  call  was  given  in  1839,  tc  Rev.  W.  H.  Turton.  Ere  long,  he 
gathered  a  harvest  at  an  outstation.  At  this  time,  came  a  complication, 
nearly  fatal  to  the  existence  of  the  Morristown  church.  Most  of  the 
members  were  scattered  in  the  country.  It  was  proposed  to  move 
and  locate  the  church  in  a  village  four  miles  distant  from  Morristown. 
The  property  in  Morristown  was  ordered  to  be  sold  and  a  church  in 
the  town  had  arranged  to  buy  it.  But  Deacon  Edward  Howell,  living 
in  the  village  where  the  church  was  to  be  located  almost  alone  opposed 
going  from  Morristown.  "A  catch"  about  the  lines  of  the  proposed 
lot,  gave  Deacon  Howell  an  occasion  to  balk  the  sale.  President  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees,  he  withdrew  the  Morristown  property  from  sale 
and  spent  the  night  driving  to  the  homes  of  members  in  the  country 
to  get  a  church  meeting  to  reconsider  the  vote  to  sell.  The  plan  was 
dropped  and  the  Morristown  church  is  where  it  is.  The  meeting  house 
had  been  in  use  about  seventy  years  and  was  unfit  for  use.  Another 
was  built  and  dedicated  in  1845.  Two  years  after,  in  October  1847, 
Mr.  Turton  resigned.  In  the  eight  years  of  his  pastorate,  the  church 
had  made  substantial  growth.  A  new  church  edifice  had  been  built. 
Mr.  Turton  was  a  very  modest  and  unassuming  of  sterling  worth  and  of 
"good  common  sense." 

Months  passed,  and  in  1848,  Rev.  W.  B.  Toland  settled  as  pastor. 
He  was  useful  and  numbers  were  added  to  the  church.  He  closed  his 
pastoral  care  at  the  end  of  five  years.  An  unhappy  pastorate  of  eight 
months  followed. 

The  next  pastor's  coming.  Rev.  Josiah  Hatt,  was  a  kind  Providence. 
An  amiable  man,  intensely  earnest,  of  devoted  piety,  he  soon  won  the 
confidence  of  even  objectors.  For  three  years  he  ministered  and  then 
a  dark  cloud  overhung  him  and  them  and  Mr.  Hatt  went  into  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Upper  Sanctuary,  on  June  16th,  1857.  The  succession 
of  pastors  was:  C.  D.  W.  Bridgeman,  1857-00;  J.  B.  Morse,  1861-63; 
A.  Pinney,  1864-68;  E.  B.  Bently,  1868-73;  J.  H.  Gunning,  1874-77; 
J.  V.  Stratton,  1878-80.  (These  many  short  pastorates  had  one  happy 
result,  that  of  unifying  the  church  by  sinking  individual  preferences.) 
A.  Parker,  1881-89;  I.  M.  B.  Thomp.son,  1889-95  ;S.  Z.  Batten, 
1895-1900. 

In  1857-1858,  the  house  of  worship  was  enlarged  and  improved. 
The  agitation  for  a  larger  and  better  metting  house  was  begun 
under  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Parker  was  accomplished  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  Rev.  I.  M.  B.  Thomson.  A  change  of  location  was 
effected.  The  new  sanctuary  was  in  entire  accord,  both  with  the  ma- 
terials of  construction  within  and  without,  and  in  architectural  beauty 
and  adaptation  to  public  worship.       In  size  it  corresponded  to  the 


MORRISTOWN  279 

growth  of  the  church  and  to  the  incerased  population  of  the  town  and 
country.  The  place  was  dedicated  in  November,  1893.  "The  little 
one  had  become  a  thousand."  Mr.  Thompson  closed  his  laljors  at 
Morristown  in  February,  1895,  and  was  followed  that  year  by  S.  Z. 
Batten. 

Lessons  of  moment  occur  in  the  record  of  Morristown  church. 
One,  the  ill  effects  of  short  pastorates.  Another,  the  malaria  of  anti- 
nomianism.  A  third,  the  cheer  of  those  who  wait  and  have  faith  in 
God.  A  fourth  the  power  of  the  individual  for  good.  Ezekiol  Howell 
and  his  son  Edward  are  instances.  What  if  the  Morristown  had  been 
swept  from  its  mooring  on  the  Gospel  by  anti-nomianism!  What  if 
it  had  gone  to  a  village  four  miles  away  from  the  center  of  population 
and  business! 

The  year  in  which  "the  Gobels  built  at  their  own  expense"  the  first 
meeting  house  is  not  known.  The  second  in  Morristown  unnder  Mr. 
Walton  was  dedicated  in  May,  1771.  The  third  was  built  in  Pastor 
Turton's  charge  in  1845.  This  building  underwent  several  enlargements 
and  improvements.  The  first  house  may  have  cost  several  hundred 
of  dollars.  The  last  edifice  cost  sixty  -six  thousand  dollars  and  this 
was  the  measure  of  growth  and  of  increase.  Three  pastors  were  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  licensed  and  ordained  at  its  call,  Tompkins,  Walton 
and  Trott.  Four  pastors  closed  their  ministry  at  death.  One  pastor 
had  a  second  pastorate. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Carpenter  gave  to  me  the  accompanying  facts,  which  he 
caused  to  be  published  after  Mr.  Ford  had  died.  I  have  the  original 
letter  of  Mr.  Welsh,  which  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Carpenter,  containing  facts 
as  published.  Mr.  Ford  was  a  resident  of  Morris  county,  and  therefore 
the  statement  is  made  in  connection  with  the  Morristown  church;  also 
the  obituary  notice  of  Mr.  Ford. 

BAPTISM  OF  A  PRESBYTERIAN  PASTOR.— In  one  of  the 
papers  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  there  appeared  some  months  ago  an  appre- 
ciative article  upon  the  talents  and  worth  of  Rev.  John  Ford,  for  many 
years  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Parsipany,  N.  J.  He  was 
a  man  of  abundant  labor,  of  original  genius,  an  intense  student  of 
Scripture,  perfectly  familiar  with  the  inspired  originals,  and  a  profound 
theologian. 

The  circumstances  of  his  baptism  are  related  in  a  letter  to  Rev.  J. 
M.  Carpenter  from  the  administrator,  Rev.  James  E.  Welch,  now  of 
Missouri. 

He  says  As  agent  of  the  American  Sunday-school  Union  I  preach- 
ed at  Boon  ton  and  Parsipany  in  November,  1839,  and  spent  the  even- 
ing with  Bro.  Ford.     At  family  worship  he  read  his  Greek  Testament 


280  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

with  such  facihty,  that  I  said  to  him,  "Why,  Brother  Ford,  you  seem 
to  understand  the  Greek  language  thoroughly,"  He  answered,  "Yes, 
I  think  I  understand  it  as  well  as  I  do  my  owai  tongue." 

"Well,  Brother  P.,  I  believe  you  are  a  candid  man,  and  will  you  allow 
me  to  ask  you  what  you  regard  as  the  primary  meaning  of  Baptize?" 
Said  he,  "It  means  to  dip — to  immerse,  and  nothing  else." 
"How  do  you  reconcile  your  convictions  with  j^our  practice  of  sprink- 
ling children?" 

"Oh,  I  have  not  baptised  any  children  for  years.  When  I  learned 
any  were  expected  for  baptism,  I  made  it  a  rule  to  change  pulpits  with 
some  neighboring  pastor,  and  get  him  to  do  the  baptizing;  and.  Brother 
Welch,  I  have  longed  for  an  opportunity  to  get  some  Baptist  brother 
to  baptize  me   privately." 

"Why,  my  brother,  I  could  not  consent  to  do  that  'as  in  a  corner.'  " 
"Then,  had  you  been  in  Philip's  place  you  would  not  have  baptized 
the  Eunuch?" 

"Yes  I  would;  were  I  traveling  in  the  mountains  and  fell  in  company 
with  a  stranger  who  should  tell  me  his  Christian  experience,  and  con- 
vince me  that  he  was  a  converted  man,  and  demand  baptism,  I  would 
baptize  him;  but  I  would  not  sneak  into  the  mountain  for  the  purpose 
of  doing  it  privately." 

On  Saturday  morning,  November  17,  1839,  I  left  his  house  for  the 
purpose  of  meeting  my  appointment  at  Whippany  and  Hanover,  when 
he  said  to  me,  "I  believe  I  will  ride  with  you  a  few  miles,  as  I  wi.sh  to 
go  to  the  shoemaker's,"  without  intimating  to  me  any  expectation 
of  being  baptized.  After  we  had  rode  a  few  miles  we  came  to  a  stream 
of  water.  He  looked  me  fully  in  the  face  and  said.  "See,  here  is  water. 
WTiat  doth  hinder  me  from  being  baptized?  And  /  demand  baptism 
at  your  hands." 

"Well,  I'll  carry  out  my  creed;  I'll  baptize  you." 
"But  Brother  W.,  I  hope  you  won't  say  anything  about  it." 
"I  can  make  no  promises;  like  as  not  I  shall  tell  it." 
"I  leave  it  to  your  Christian  kindness  not  to  speak  of  it  for  a  season 
at  least." 

"We  alighted,  and  in  preparing  I  found  that  he  had  an  under  pair 
of  pants  and  shirt  on.  I  rolled  up  my  pants  and  shirt  sleeves  as  far  as 
I  could,  and  into  the  water  we  went,  and  I  baptized  him." 

After  a  time  the  transaction  became  kno-mi,  there  was  a  stir  in  the 
congregation  and  the  Presbytery,  but  he  continued  in  the  same  pastor- 
ate until  over  seventy  years  of  age,  when,  according  to  a  long  settled 
purpose  he  resigned.  His  name  is  a  household  word,  and  his  memory  is 
cherished  by  many  who  knew  him. 


MORRISTOWN  281 

The  incident  is  thought  worthy  of  record  among  the  materials 
of  New  Jersey  Baptist  History. 

Mr  Carpenter  writes,  "I  communicated  the  baptism  to  The 
National  Baptist  (Philadelphia)  July,  1876." 

REV.  JOHN  FORD  OF  PARSIPANY .—ThAs  venerable  octo- 
genarian died  on  the  evening  of  the  31st  ult.,  and  deserves  more  than 
a  passing  notice.  He  was  a  native  of  Morris  county.  He  entered 
Princeton  College,  as  we  have  been  told,  in  the  Senior  year,  and 
was  regarded  as  the  first  in  his  class.  He  was  graduated  in 
1812  with  the  second  honor,  missing  the  first  because  of  his 
recent  connection  with  the  college.  A  few  years  after  this  he  was 
installed  pa.stor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Parsipany,  and  remained 
in  that  position  until  he  was  seventy  years  of  age,  when  according  to 
a  purpose,  long  before  made,  he  retired  from  that  pulpit.  His  mind 
was  as  vigorous  at  his  resignation  as  it  ever  was,  and  he  at  once  began 
to  preach  wherever  there  was  an  opening.  His  laboi's  through  life 
and  until  he  was  eighty  years  old  were  very  abundant.  It  was  for 
years  his  custom  to  preach  four  times  each  Sabbath,  and  occasion- 
ally five,  at  points  widely  distant.  He  was  a  rare  scholar,  having 
made  great  proficiency  in  the  classical  languages,  as  also  in  the  French 
and  Hebrew.  When  past  seventy  years  of  age  he  studied  German 
with  great  interest  and  success.  With  the  Scriptures  in  the  original 
tongues  he  was  very  familiar,  reading  and  quoting  both  Hebrew  and 
Greek  Testaments  with  entire  ease.  He  was  also  a  mathematician  of 
no  mean  attainments. 

He  was  a  man  of  original  genius  often  dashing  away  from  the  beaten 
track  and  delighting  his  hearers  with  new  and  brilliant  thoughts.  An 
intense  student  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  of  the  Science  of  Theology, 
and  at  the  same  time  not  hampered  with  the  manuscript  in  the  pulpit, 
he  often  soared  into  the  higher  regions  of  true  eloquence.  He  was  a 
man  of  tender  affections.  There  was  no  kindlier  heart  than  his  among 
all  the  contemporaries,  who  with  him  illumined  the  pulpits  of  New 
Jersey  during  the  first  half  of  the  present  century.  His  sympathies 
were  as  quick  and  responsive  as  those  of  children  and  they  knew  no 
abatement  even  down  to  old  age.  He  was  a  remarkable  man,  a  scholar, 
a  preacher,  a  theologian,  a  Christian"man,  whose  decease,  although 
occurring  when  he  was  in  his  eighty-sixth  year,  will  cause  many  hearts 
to  feel  sad.  He  did  a  great  work  and  ho  did  it  well. 
— Sentinel  of  Freedom,  of  Newark,  January  7,  1873. 

On  the  twenty-ninth  of  October,  1767,  eighteen  Baptists  (ten  wom- 
en and  eight  men)  were  dismissed  from  Scotch  Plains  church  to  consti- 
tute themselves  the  Mount  Bethel  Baptist  church,  Somerset  county. 


282  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

These  Baptists,  Morgan  Edwards  states,  "Members  of  Scotch  Plains 
had  settled  here  in  early  times."  A  meeting  house  had  been  built  in 
1761.  Their  genealogical  relation  to  Piscataway  and  Scotch  Plains  is 
indicated  by  their  names.  Of  them  many  were  Buttons.  The  house 
of  worship  was  moved  in  1768  to  a  plot  the  joint  gift  of  George  Cooper, 
William  Alward  and  Benjamin  Euyart.  Mr.  Edwards  continues: 
In  "twenty-two  years  the  church  hath  increased  from  eighteen 
to  one  hundred  and  one"  adding,  "It  has  been  a  nursery  of 
ministers:  Rev.  Messrs.  William  Worth,  Abner  and  James  Sutton 
sprang  up  here."  The  extraordinary  rev-ival  in  1786  began  here 
and  spread  to  neighboring  churches.  Pastors  of  Piscataway  and 
Scotch  Plains  preached  here  very  early.  In  truth,  the  early  settlers 
here  abouts  were  Piscataway  and  Scotch  Plains  people. 

Rev.  H.  Crosslej'  was  the  first  pastor  for  two  years;  having  removed 
and  served  another  church,  Mr.  Crossley  returned  to  Mount  Bethel. 
Of  the  length  of  his  stay  in  his  second  charge,  we  have  no  data.  His 
successor  was  Rev.  Abner  Sutton.  Mr.  Sutton  was  a  constituent  of 
the  church  and  was  ordained  in  January,  1775.  Mr.  Edwards  says  of 
him:  "He  was  a  solid  divine.  The  Sutton  family  were  remarkable  for 
producing  ministers.  There  are  five  of  the  Suttons  now  extant, 
viz.,  Isaac,  John,  David,  James  and  Abner.  Their  progenitor,  William 
Sutton  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Piscataway.  He  is  mentioned 
in  the  town  book  as  early  as  1682."  Again  there  is  no  data  from  which 
to  know  how  long  Mr.  Sutton  stayed  at  Mount  Bethel.  Pastor  in  other 
churches,  he  returned  to  Mount  Bethel;  died  young,  but  forty-nine 
years  old  on  Februray  26th,  1791.  A  great  work  of  grace  occured  at 
Mount  Bethel  under  his  labors  in  1786.  Seventy-six  were  baptized  that 
year.  Considering  the  sparseness  of  the  population,  this  was  a  great 
many.  Still  pastor  in  1786,  his  pastorate  must  have  been  many  years. 
Possibly  his  death  terminated  both  his  life  and  his  pastorate. 

J.  Fritz  Randolph  followed  Mr.  Sutton  and  was  ordained  in  1791. 
Mr.  Randolph  had  been  licen.sed  and  baptized  at  Scotch  Plains,  where 
he  was  a  deacon  also.  Mr.  Randolph  was  a  pre-eminently  useful 
man.  His  remarkable  career  of  blessing  is  written  in  connection  with 
the  histories  of  Samptown  and  First  Plainfield  of  both  of  which  he 
was  the  first  pastor.  Mr.  Randolph  stayed  at  Mount  Bethel  three  years, 
accepting  a  call  to  Samptown  his  native  place  in  the  fall  of  1793. 

A  succession  of  pastors  was:  L.  Lathrop,  1794-1805;  John  Ellis, 
1805-13;  when  a  vacancy  of  three  years  occured;  Mr.  Elliott,  1816-18; 
J.  Watson,  1818-26;  M.  R.  Cox  (ordained  in  1827),  1827-48;  E.  C.  Am- 
bler,   1849-1851. 


MOUNT  BETHEL  AND  MILLINGTON  283 

In  the  winter  of  1850-51,  a  remarkable  work  of  grace  developed. 
Mr.  Ambler  baptized  one  hundred  and  fourteen  into  the  membership 
of  the  church.  Mount  Bethel  is  isolated  and  a  rural  church.  Distant 
from  a  large  town,  almost  a  mountainous  region  and  this  was  an  amaz- 
ing work.  In  May,  1851,  eighty  members  were  dismissed  to  found  a 
church  at  Millington,  and  having  set  their  house  in  order  called  Pastor 
Ambler,  who  accepted  the  call.  However,  Mount  Bethel  church,  in 
December,  1851,  called  Mr.  Timberman  and  he  was  ordained  in  Jan- 
uary, 1852.  But  Mr.  Timberman  closed  his  work  the  next  year.  Rev. 
T.  H.  Haynes  settled  in  1855,  remaining  till  1859.  Several  "supplies" 
ministered  at  Mount  Bethel  and  a  joint  pastorate  w4th  Millington  church 
filled  up  a  period  of  many  years  till  1900.  The  location  of  Mount  Bethel 
does  not  justify  the  expectation  of  a  large  congregation.  There  have 
been  marked  seasons  of  revival  and  refreshing.  Such  churches  must 
be  cared  for  by  the  stronger  churches  and  the  waste  places  supplied 
with  means  of  grace.  Mount  Bethel  has  had  sixteen  pastors.  Mr. 
Cox  was  pastor  twenty-one  years,  and  Mr.  Gibb,  the  present  pastor, 
is  in  his  twenty-ninth  year  (in  1900).  An  early  rule  was  that  one 
member  should  not  sue  another  without  notifying  the  church  of  the 
facts.  Another  imposed  displine  for  the  neglect  of  the  monthh' 
meetings.  At  first  the  church  edifice  was  located  near  Plainfield  on 
the  land  of  Captain  Dunn.  But  later  was  removed  to  a  more  central 
site.  The  life  of  the  church  has  been  peaceful.  Independence  implies 
the  right  of  private  opinion  and  yet  means  the  best  plans  and  various 
ideas  of  policy  and  plan  does  not  imply  intolerance,  but  the  cheerful 
assent  of  a  minority.  Thus  it  is  that  congregational  churches  have 
more  concord  and  harmony  than  hierarchical  forms  of  government. 

Nine  members  of  Mount  Bethel  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  If 
Mr.  Carpenter's  tables  are  correct,  five  hundred  and  fifty-seven  have 
been  baptized  into  the  church.  It  may  be  that  the  mission  of  the  Mount 
Bethel  church  may  be  to  feed  the  city  and  town  churches,  not  alone 
to  keep  them  alive,  but  to  make  them  efficient  and  benevolent. 

The  Millington  Baptist  Church  was  constituted  with  eighty  mem- 
bers dismissed  from  Mount  Bethel  Baptist  Church  in  May,  1851.  Rev. 
E.  C.  Ambler  being  pastor.  Millington  is  in  Somerset  county,  near  to 
the  line  of  Morris  county.  Among  those  dismissed  from  Mount  Bethel 
were  seven  Stelles,  seven  Runyons,  seven  Dunns,  six  Smalleys,  and 
three  Randolphs.  These  names  link  these  people  to  Piscataway. 
The  first  meeting  house  built  for  use  of  Mount  Bethel  Church  was  on 
land  of  Captain  Dunn,  about  three  miles  from  Plainfield.  Their  Baptist 
faith  and  religious  convictions  have  come  down  to  present  generations. 


284  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Rev.  E.  C.  Ambler,  pastor  of  Mount  Bethel  Church  when  Milling- 
ton  Church  was  formed,  was  the  first  pastor  of  Millington  Church. 
Immediately  after  its  organization  he  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  en- 
tered on  its  charge  in  May,  1851.  Next  year  a  house  of  worship  was 
was  Ijegun  and  dedicated.  Mr.  Ambler  resigned  at  Millington  in  1855 
and  was  followed  the  same  year  by  Rev.  A.  Hopper,  serving  as  pastor 
till  1865.  In  1858  a  special  work  of  grace  was  enjoyed.  The  venerable 
and  beloved  Z.  Crenelle  became  pastor  in  April,  1865,  continuing  until 
January,    1871. 

After  him  Rev.  P.  Gibb  settled  as  pastor,  in  1871,  and  was  pastor 
in  1900 — twenty-nina  years.  Affairs  have  moved  on  kindly  and  usefully 
in  these  twenty-nine  years.  Seasons  of  revival  have  been  enjoyed, 
needful  improvements  to  the  house  of  worship  made  and  a  parsonage 
built. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


ELIZABETH  CHURCHES 


At  a  meeting  in  Elizabeth  on  June  fifth,  1843,  fifteen  memljers  of 
the  Baptist  Churches  of  Scotch  Plains,  Mount  Bethel  and  Rah  way 
assembled  and  constituted  themselves  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Eli- 
zabeth. Elkanah  Drake,  a  member  of  Mount  Bethel  church,  was  the 
first  Baptist  resident  in  Elizabeth,  who  gathered  Baptists  into  the 
town  into  a  distinctively  Baptist  meeting,  having  in  mind  the  organi- 
zation of  a  Baptist  Church. 

Mr.  Drake  was  one  of  those  men,  who  impelled  with  the  love  of  God 
and  of  his  truth  do  not  wait  for  some  others  to  develop  Baptist  interests. 
Such  experiences  are  an  inspiration  to  seek  out  those  of  a  like  faith  and 
to  devise  "ways  and  means"  whereby  they  can  establish  their  convic- 
tions of  truth  and  duty.  These  Baptists  met  in  a  "select  school  room" 
on  Union  Street.  Rev.  John  Wivill  is  believed  to  have  preached  at 
their  first  meeting  to  a  congregation  of  seven  or  eight  persons.  When 
a  church  had  been  formed,  the  congregation  numbered  from  twelve  to 
twenty  individuals,  and  these  engaged  "supplies"  for  regular  worship. 
Steps  were  taken  to  obtain  a  place  in  which  to  meet.  Eventually  the 
"select  school  room"  property  was  bought  and  reconstructed  for  a  place 
of  worship  and  was  dedicated  in  1843. 

These  Baptists  do  not  seem  to  have  been  of  the  waiting  sort.  Al- 
ready, Rev.  C.  Cox,  Jr.,  was  called  and  ordained  in  1844,  to  serve  as 
pastor.  He  continued  one  year,  in  which  the  membership  of  the  church 
was  doubled.  Rev.  E.  Conover  followed  for  a  year,  being  predisposed 
to  Arminianism  his  minisry  was  unacceptable,  Mr.  Tibbals,  a 
licentiate  succeeded.  He  became  antinomian  and  was  as  uncon- 
genial as  his  predecessor.  These  people  knew  the  difference  of 
arminianism  and  antinomianism  and  did  not  accept  the  teachings 
of  the  pulpit  nor  were  led  by  their  minister  hither  and  thither.  It  has 
been  true  of  Baptist  churches  that  they  know  New  Testament  truth  and 
accept  it,  but  repudiate  tradition  and  personal  conviction,  certain 
that  Christ  and  His  truth  are  of  more  worth  than  human  opinions. 

A  safe,  patient  and  good  man,  a  Baptist,  became  pastor  in  1848, 
and  remained  to  1850.  Financial  arrearages  were  paid;  unity  was 
realized,  and  wholesome  influences  were  exerted  and  Mr.  Turton's 
oversight  was  a  period  of  growth  in  the  elements  of  strength.  Rev. 
J.  H.  Waterbury  settled  in  March,  1850,  and  was  pastor  till  1855.     Ill 


286  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

with  a  sickness  that  laid  him  aside  from  his  piustoral  duties  he  resigned. 
But  the  church  hopeful  of  his  recovery,  declined  to  accept  it  and  retain- 
ed him  as  pa.stor  till  his  death  in  January,  1855.  Previous  to  his  illness 
Mr.  Watorbury  bought  and  paid  for  lots  in  a  central  location  on  which 
to  build  a  larger  and  more  suitable  meeting  house.  His  sickness,  how- 
ever, broke  up  the  plans  which  had  been  arranged  for  with  the  Board  of 
the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  and  they  were  laid  aside. 

By  an  arrangement  with  the  Lyons  P'arms  church,  First  Elizabeth 
united  with  that  church  in  a  joint  pastorate  of  Rev.  T.  S.  Rogers.  This 
arrangement  lasted  two  years  and  was  marked  by  financial  straits  and 
discord,  so  much  so  that  propositions  of  disbanding  in  Elizabeth  were 
entertained.  Rev.  I.  N.  Hill  entered  the  pastoral  office  in  June,  1857, 
Premonitions  of  a  harvest  in  the  winter  of  1857-8  cheered  all  and  de- 
ferred action  growing  out  of  former  fears.  Christians  of  different  names 
sympathised  with  each  other  in  concerted  plans.  There  was  not  a 
suggestion  of  the  surrender  of  denominational  convictions,  but  a  mutual 
concession  of  the  integrity  of  the  views  of  each  by  the  others  and  thus 
there  was  concert  and  mutual  helpfulness,  Mr.  Hill  became  pastor  at 
this  time.  Amid  large  and  strong  churches  of  different  Christian  names 
they  gaA-e  welcome  and  co-operation  and  words  of  cheer  for  the  new 
pastor  and  the  disheartened  Baptists.  The  Second  Presbyterian 
Church  offered  the  free  use  of  their  lecture  room  in  the  center  of  the 
town,  to  Baptists  for  their  meetings  and  they  shared  in  the  universal 
revival  interest.  Several  were  added  to  the  Baptist  Church.  Spirit- 
ual sunshine  and  refreshing  showers  of  grace  gladdened  it.  Later, 
a  spacious  lecture  room  was  built  and  a  house  remodeled  for  a  parsonage, 
etc.,  on  the  lots  Mr.  Waterbury  had  bought. 

After  two  years  of  sucessful  labor,  Mr.  Hill  resigned  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  G.  W.  Clark  in  1859,  who  was  pastor  for  nine  years. 
Despite  the  revival  and  the  refreshing  of  the  former  years,  affairs  were 
uninviting.  A  debt  had  been  incurred  by  the  erection  of  the  chapel 
and  parsonage  of  nearly  their  cost,  besides  the  parsonage  was  a  small 
and  indifferent  building.  In  fact  the  outlook  of  the  church  was  dis- 
couraging. The  President  of  the  convention  advised  Mr.  Clark  not 
to  settle  in  Elizabeth  because  the  church  was  at  an  adverse  crisis. 
Nevertheless,  he  did  become  pastor.  In  his  charge  the  membership 
increased,  the  debt  was  paid  and  the  first  general  revival  the  church  had 
known  was  enjoyed.  A  mission  was  established  at  Elizabethport  in 
1862,  where  weekly  social  meetings  and  later  in  1877,  Lords  day  after- 
noon preaching  was  established.  The  Broad  Street  Baptist  Church 
was  constituted  in  1866  of  forty-eight  members  dismissed  from  the 
Firrt    Elizabeth  church.     Pastor  Clark  resigned  in  1869.     Under  his 


FIRST  ELIZABETH  287 

pastorate,  Baptist  interests  in  Elizabeth  were  put  on  a  firm  foundation. 

Rev.  T.  A.  K.  Gessler  took  pastoral  charge  of  First  Elizabeth  in 
1869,  continuing  until  1880.  A  larger  and  better  church  edifice  had 
become  a  necessity.  The  position  and  influence  of  the  church  had  for 
a  long  time  been  impaired  by  lack  of  a  house  of  worship,  corresponding 
to  those  of  other  denominations  and  becoming  the  city  in  which  the 
church  was  located.  Through  the  offer  of  Deacon  Amory  of  the  grounds 
and  of  a  generous  subscription  for  its  building,  a  church  edifice  was 
built  costing  scores  of  thousands  of  dollars,  nearly  half  of  which  was  a 
debt,  imperiling  the  property  and  a  bar  to  the  prosperity  of  the  church. 
The  location,  in  a  suburb,  was  a  mistake.  The  congregation  was 
virtually  ostracised.  The  house  was  dedicated  in  January,  1872. 
In  1871,  thirteen  were  dismissed  to  constitute  the  Elizabethport  Church. 
The  mission  had  been  established  by  Pastor  Clark  in  1862,  and  a  Sunday 
School  later  by  Mr.   Peter  Amory. 

After  Mr.  Gessler  resigned  Rev.  J.  C.  Allen  settled  in  February, 
1880.  In  his  second  year  the  entire  debt,  forty-five  thousand  dollars, 
was  paid,  indicating  the  great  change  that  had  come  in  the  financial 
resources  of  the  church.  Having  served  the  church  nearly  six  years, 
to  its  satisfaction  and  profit,  Mr.  Allen  closed  his  labors  in  Elizabeth 
in  1886. 

The  same  year  in  which  Mr.  Allen  resigned.  Rev.  C.  H.  Jones 
entered  on  the  pastoral  duties.  In  three  years  he  retired  from  the 
pastorate  and  within  a  short  time  Rev.  W.  H.  Shermer  held  the 
pastoral  office.  He  also  gave  up  his  charge  at  the  end  of  three  years. 
In  April,  1894,  Rev.  W,  E.  Staub  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor  and  is 
now  (1900)  serving  in  the  office. 

Thirteen  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  church.  The  longest 
charge  was  ten  years,  another  nine  years.  Two  were  errative  in  doctrine, 
and  one,  while  he  may  be  blameless  for  a  temper  with  which  he  was 
born,  was  thereby  disqualified  for  the  largest  usefulness.  Three  church 
edifices  have  been  in  use.  A  property  remodeled  for  its  use;  second, 
one  built  in  1858  and  a  parsonage;  third,  that  now  in  use.  Three 
churches  have  been  colonized  from  the  home  body:  Broad  Street  in 
1866,  with  forty-eight  membership;  Elizabethport,  in  1874,  with  thir- 
teen members.  This  body  was  known  as  East  Elizabeth.  Central 
Elizabeth  was  constituted  in  1877.  Its  relationship  is,  however, 
indefinite.  Central  Elizabeth  being  composed  of  the  debris  of  the 
Broad  Street  Church,  when  it  was  scattered,  and  some  other  Baptists 
living  in  the  city.  The  original  elements  of  the  Central  Church  were 
really  and  truly  Baptists,  men  and  women  to  whom  misfortune  had 
come,  entirely  independent  of  their  personality  or  relationship. 


288  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

The  rail  roads  from  NewYork  City  in  New  Jersey  brought  the 
families  and  business  men  in  large  numbers  to  the  towns  and  villages 
within  reasonable  access  of  business  in  the  city.  Some  of  them  had 
accumulated  fortunes;  a  sudden  revulsion,  lost  as  quickly  as  made  the 
wealth  that  had  been  gained.  Elizabeth  shared  in  the  gains  and  losses 
of  the  other  localities  to  which  families  came.  Various  denominations 
had  their  proportion  of  these  migrations.  The  Broad  Street  Baptist 
Church  originated  with  such  influences.  Men  with  sudden  large  wealth 
part  with  it  easily  and  for  schemes  that  appeal  unexpectedly  and  has 
a  promise  of  ample  returns,  the  more  so,  if  being  good  men  they  seek 
opportunity  to  do  good. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  was  said  to  be  "slow."  It  may  be  their 
experience  had  taught  them  its  value.  Fortj'-eight  of  their  members 
caught  the  infection  of  "push,"  not  having  as  yet  learned  that  motion 
is  not  progress.  Receiving  letters  of  dismission  they  organized  the 
Broad  Street  Baptist  Church.  A  brother  doing  business  in  New  York 
identified  himself  with  them  and  gave  choice  lots  and  a  house  of  worship 
which  with  its  grounds  claimed  to  have  cost  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  was  built.  Other  expenses  corresponding  were  also  incurred. 
For  a  time  money  was  as  in  Solomon's  day  when  "the  King  made 
silver  to  be  in  Jerusalem  as  stones."  Ere  long  the  straits  came,  mort- 
gages were  put  on  the  property,  and  the  end  soon  came.  A  Baptist  in 
Newark  bought  the  proprety  to  hold  it  for  the  church  for  redemption. 
But  that  time  did  not  come  and  it  was  traded  for  some  cheap  church 
properties. 

In  1867,  Rev.  D.  H.  Miller  became  pastor  of  Broad  Street  Church 
and  was  such  to  April,  1872.  On  the  next  October,  Rev.  H.  M.  Gall- 
aher  was  thrust  under  the  load.  His  call  was  a  dernier  resort.  It  was 
hoped  that  his  peculiar  pulpit  gifts  could  command  financial  resources. 
Temporary  relief  justified  the  hope,  but  with  his  retirement  in  1876, 
the  end  came  and  in  1877  the  church  disbanded. 

In  the  order  of  age  or  beginnings,  Elizabethport  is  entitled  to  be 
considered.  But  as  inasmuch  as  "Central  Elizabeth"  inherits  a  kind 
of  succession  to  Broad  Street  probably  it  may  follow  with  its  history. 
There  is  some  confusion  of  dates,  when  Broad  Street  v/as  disbanded. 
It  was  not  represented  in  the  Association  after  1872  and  it  is  supposed 
to  have  had  a  nominal  existence  until  about  the  time  of  the  organzia- 
tion  of  the  Central  Church,  in  1877. 

Elizabethport  mission  was  begun  in  1862  by  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  while  Rev.  G.  W.  Clark  was  its  pastor.  Deacon  Peter  B. 
Amory  of  thelFirst  Elizabeth  Baptist  Church  in  1870  built  a  chapel 
there  in  memory  of  his  daughter.     For  this  reason  the  chapel  was  called 


ELIZABETHPORT  AND  CENTRAL  ELIZABETH    289 

the  memorial  chapel.  Deacon  Ainory  before  his  death  had  been  snared 
in  a  financial  panic  that  involved  his  estate  including  the  chapel,  so 
that  it  had  to  be  redeemed  at  nearly  its  original  cost. 

In  1872,  a  renaming  or  reorganization  occured  in  which  members 
of  Elizabethport  Church  took  part,  involving  confusion  of  dates  and  of 
organizations  and  obscurity  overhangs  Baptist  movements  in  Eliza- 
bethport. Rev.  H.  W.  Jones  became  pastor,  and  accomplished  happy 
results,  retiring  from  the  field  in  1876.  The  church  edifice  proved  too 
small  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  congregations  and  the  membership 
increased  from  thirty-six  to  one  hundred  and  fifty-six.  Within  a  year 
W.  H.  Marshall  settled  as  pastor.  On  account  of  the  death  of  Mr. 
Amory  in  1878  and  the  nontransfer  of  the  "deed"  of  the  chapel  property 
to  the  church,  serious  trouijle  arose  and  marked  changes  occured. 

Rev.  A.  Chambers  succeeded  Mr.  Marshall.  At  this  time  a  new 
name  for  the  church  is  supposed  to  have  been  chosen,  Elizabeth  East, 
and  a  reorganization  about  1881  also;  a  virtual  suspension  for  about  two 
years.  Two  or  three,  however,  held  fast  and  maintained  the  visibility 
of  the  church.  Rev.  T.  Outwater  settled  as  pastor  in  1883  and  the 
new  meeting  house  was  furnished  in  1885.  Mr.  Outwater  closed  his 
work  at  East  Elizabeth  in  1888,  after  a  happy  and  successful  pastorate. 

A  call  to  be  pastor  was  given  to  J.  M.  Hare  in  1888.  He  held  the 
office  two  years  and  was  followed  by  F.  Gardner  in  1890.  A  work  of 
grace  adding  many  by  baptism  to  the  church  and  the  payment  of  all 
indebtedness  for  their  new  house  were  characteristics  of  1891  and  1892. 
Mr.  Gardner  resigned  in  1893  and  the  next  Lord's  day,  W.  H.  Shermer 
took  the  pastoral  charge,  which  he  gave  up  in  October,  1896.  D.  B. 
Patterson  followed,  1897-99;  J.  V.  Ellison,  1899-1900.  Deacon  Amory's 
neglect  to  give  the  "deed"  of  the  property  to  the  church,  having  built 
the  house  of  worship,  nearh'  proved  to  be  a  blight  on  it,  and  changed  its 
prosperity    to   discouragement. 

Two  houses  of  worship  were  built  by  East  Elizabeth  Church: 
The  first  designed  to  be  a  gift,  but  redemeed  by  them;  a  second,  built 
by  themselves  and  paid  for.  Nine  pastors  have  served  the  church 
under  its  various  names. 

In  its  last  public  statement  of  its  membership,  in  1872,  Broad 
Street  Church  reported  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  members. 
Central  Elizabeth  in  1878  reported  sixty  constituents.  Letters  of 
dismission  no  doubt  were  granted  to  its  members  when  Broad 
Street  Church  disbanded.  Some  may  have  united  with  the  First 
church,  others  joined  Elizabethport,  some  united  with  churches  of 
other  denominations,  and  as  is  usual,  the  indifferent  to  church 
membership  stood  aloof;  in  the  event  of  one-half  having  thus  associ- 


290  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

ated  themselves  and  probably  others,  waited  to  see  if  the  Central 
Elizabeth  Church  would  sustain  itself,  and  presuming  that  in  five  years 
discouragement  would  largely  reduce  the  members  of  Broad  Street 
Church. 

There  is  evidently  an  intelligent  integrity  to  Baptist  convictions 
of  truth  and  to  duty,  both  in  those  who  constitiuted  the  Central  Eliza- 
beth Church  and  in  Broad  Street  membership,  since  nearly  the  entire 
membership  of  that  bodj'  is  reasonably  accounted  for.  It  speaks  well 
for  the  conscientious  piety  of  these  Baptists,  that  so  many  under  the 
depression  of  the  conditions  and  disappointments  were  ready  to  begin 
anew  and  to  lay  foundations  in  Central  Elizabeth  for  a  Baptist  Church. 
They  knew  the  cost  of  the  patience,  self-denial  and  devotion  to  build 
up  a  Baptist  Church  in  a  staunchly  pedo-baptist  communtiy,  both  by 
the  denominational  caste  of  the  first  settlers  and  in  the  centuries  of 
education  in  which  the  children  had  been  trained  in  the  faith  of  their 
fathers. 

At  the  sale  of  the  Broad  Street  property  another  church  property 
had  been  exchanged  in  part  paj-ment  for  it.  A  Sunday-school  had  been 
formed  in  the  old  building  months  before  the  Central  Church  was  con- 
stituted and  the  Simday-school  was  called  the  Central  Baptist  Sunday- 
school.  The  Central  Baptist  Church  met  for  worship  in  the  same  old 
structure.  At  a  meeting  in  this  house  on  June  13th,  1877,  steps  were 
taken  to  get  the  names  of  those  who  would  constitute  the  new  church. 
In  another  meeting,  sixty  names  were  reported  and  in  this  meeting 
Mr.  John  McKinney  was  called  to  be  pastor  of  the  church  and  a  council 
was  called  to  recognize  the  church  and  to  ordain  Mr.  McKinney, 
who  entered  on  his  pastoral  duties  in  October  19th,  1877. 

Few  things  in  Elizabeth  Baptist  history  have  happened  in  which 
God's  hand  was  more  manifest  than  in  the  coming  of  Mr.  McKinney 
at  this  juncture  to  Elizabeth.  Young,  winsome,  intelligent,  prudent 
he  left  an  indellible  mark  on  Baptist  interests.  In  1882  the  church 
bought  and  paid  for  the  propertj'  they  occupied.  He  continued  Pas- 
tor ten  years.  Uunder  his  oversight  the  church  attained  a  high  posi- 
tion, the  membership  grew,,  the  mistakes  of  former  years  were  forgotten. 

It  is  doubtful  if  a  better  choice  to  follow  Mr.  McKinney  could  have 
been  made  than  the  choice  in  July,  1888,  of  Rev.  E.  T.  Tomlinson,  who 
in  1900,  is  filling  the  office  of  pastor.  As  much  as  in  the  first  pastorate, 
the  Divine  hand  was  directing  in  the  choice  of  a  pastor,  so  also  in  the 
second  pastorate-,  few  instances  occur  in  which  there  is  more  Providen- 
tial direction.  Strength  and  wisdom  have  characterized  the  second 
pastorate  and  the  church  has  reached  an  enviable  position  of  influence. 
The  house  of  worship  that  had  been  the  home  of  the  church  since  its 


CENTRAL  ELIZABETH  291 

orgaization,  was  in  use  until  the  last  Lord's  day  in  1900,  then  the 
church  moved  into  the  new  and  the  foremost  sanctuary  in  the  City  of 
Elizabeth.  Other  houses  of  worship  were  larger.  Another  was  vener- 
ated for  its  antiquity  and  preserved  beauty  of  former  ages,  but  this 
new  Baptist  house  of  praise,  with  its  massive  stone  walls  and  choice 
architecture,  its  multitudinous  comforts  and  conveniences  and  adap- 
tations for  worship  was  a  "thing  of  joy  and  a  beauty  forever."  and 
indicated  the  flight  from  youth  to  maturity.  The  dedicatory  service 
being  deferred  until  all  indebtedness  for  its  erection  was  paid.  This 
sanctuary  is  in  the  central  of  the  city  and  notifies  all  that  Baptists  are 
in  Elizabeth,  not  an  adjunct,  but  in  the  forefront.  Under  Pastor 
Waterbury  in  1854,  this  had  been  an  aim,  but  his  death  disappointed 
it.  The  Board  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  had  co- 
operated with  him  in  putting  our  denominational  interests  on  a  broad, 
safe  and  sure  basis  and  though  disappointed,  the  true  men  and  women 
on  the  field  preserved  their  Baptist  integrity  and  despite  adversity, 
and  discouragements  rarely  equalled,  have  attained  their  end.  A 
lesson  is,  that  there  is  no  field  so  hard  but  that  Baptists  will  take  perma- 
nant  root  and  stay.  Nor  a  "creed"  so  fixed  and  universal  that  the 
New  Testament  teaching  will  not  overcome  and  make  Baptists  despite 
education  annd  prejudice.  Eight  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use 
by  Baptists  in  Elizabeth  and  twenty-five  pastors  have  ministered  in 
the  several  Baptist  places  of  worship. 

Two  Africo-American  Baptist  Churches  have  also  grown  up  in 
Elizabeth:  Shiloh,  ogranized  in  1879,  and  Union,  organized  in  1891. 
Both  own  their  houses  of  worship  with  large  membership.  Pastors 
(1900)  N.  A.  Mackey  of  Shiloh;  J.  H.  Bailey  of  Union. 


^Vv 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


LYONS  FARMS,  iNORTHFIELD,  LIVINGSTON  AND  MILBURN. 


Eleven  members  of  Scotch  Plains  Church  i-cceived  letters  of  dis- 
mission to  form  the  Lyons  Farms  Church.  One  other,  a  member  in 
New  York  City,  united  with  them,  making  twelve  constituents,  who 
on  the  16th  of  April,  1769,  organized  the  Lyons  Farms  Baptist  Church. 
Of  these,  four  were  women  and  eight  were  men. 

A  house  of  worship  had  been  built  in  1768.  A  constitutent  of  the 
church,  Ezekiel  Crane,  gave  the  lot  on  which  the  meeting  house  was 
built.  The  church  took  its  name  from  the  owners  of  the  tract  of  land 
on  which  the  meeting  house  v/as  built.  At  the  end  of  twenty  years, 
the  members  had  increased  to  but  three  more  than  at  the  first.  Two 
reasons  were  given  for  this  small  growth:  One,  that  a  colony  of  thir- 
teen had  been  dismissed  in  1786  to  constitute  the  Canoebrook  Church 
(now  Northfield) .  Another,  that  the  church  was  destitute  of  a  minister 
depending  on  Scotch  Plains  and  converts  were  added  to  that  church. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Ward  was  the  first  pastor  at  Lyons  Farms  and  was 
ordained  at  Canoebrook  in  May,  1779.  Morgan  Edwards  says:  "and 
on  the  same  year  entered  on  the  pastorate  at  Lyons  Farms."  Mr. 
Ward  resigned  in  1782.  For  the  next  seven  or  eight  years.  Pastors 
Miller  of  Scotch  Plains  and  Gano  of  New  York  City  and  John  Walton 
of  MorristoNvn  occasionally  visited  the  church .  Jacob  Hutton  was  ap- 
parently pastor  at  Lyons  Farms.  He  is  spoken  of  as  in  charge  in  1783. 
How  long  he  was  pastor  is  unknown.  Several  years  passed  when  he 
removed  before  a  pastor  settled.  It  is  not  sure  that  Rev.  Mr.  Guthrie 
was  pastor  at  L}'ons  Farms.  He  taught  school  at  Canoebrook  and  of- 
ten preached  at  Lj'ons  Farms.  I'nder  his  labors  there  were  baptized 
accessions  to  the  church. 

From  March,  1792,  Mr.  P.  Bryant  supplied  the  church  for  six 
months  and  was  ordained  in  Septemper,  1792,  and  was  pastor  for  six- 
teen years.  His  impaired  health  compelled  his  resignation  in  April, 
1808.  But  the  Church  was  unwilling  to  part  with  him  and  employed 
an  assistant  pastor,  Deacon  James  Wilcox,  whom  Mr.  Bryant  had 
baptized  in  1793.  The  pastor's  health  failed  rapidly  and  he  prevailed 
with  the  church  to  have  Mr.  Wilcox  ordained  in  July,  1808.  There  is 
no  record  of  when  Pastor  Bryant  died.  He  was  a  man  of  intelligence 
and  of  culture.     While  pastor  he  did  some  important  literary  work. 


LYONS   FARMS  293 

"Father  Wilcox"  as  he  became  to  be  known  by  his  loving  people  was  a 
flitting  successor  of  Mr.  Bryant,  who  nominated  him  to  succeed  him. 
Mr.  Wilcox  was  a  farmer  and  continued  to  be  while  pastor  for  the  en- 
suing thirteen  years,  till  August,  1821,  when  oppressed  with  infirmitives 
he  resigned.  The  title  by  which  he  was  known,  "Father  Wilcox", 
indicated  the  place  he  had  in  the  love  of  his  people.  Having  means 
of  his  own  he  ministered  to  the  church  "at  his  own  costs."  This  was  a 
great  mistake,  palliated,  however,  by  the  limited  resources  of  the 
church.  "Mr.  Wilcox  was  a  pillar  in  the  church  and  dearly  beloved. 
He  died  in  1843." 

The  succession  of  pastors  was:  Thomas  Winter,  1821-26;  Peter 
Spark  (ordained  September,  1827,),  1826-36;  James  Stickney  (ordained. 
May,  1836,),  1836-38:  B.  C.  Morse  (ordained  March,  1839,),  1839-41; 
Jackson  Smith  (ordained  April,  1841,),  1841-43;  (An  extensive  revival 
under  Mr.  Smith's  labors.);  William  Leach,  1842-46;  E.  Tibbals,  1846 
(three  months,  till  November);  Rev.  Jos.  Perry,  March  7,  1847  to  Janu- 
ary 16,  1848;  then  Rev.  Thomas  Rogers  labored  as  "supply;"  R.  T. 
Middleditch  (ordained,  September,  1848,),  1848-50;  J.  E.  Chesshire, 
1851;  J.  W.  Gibbs,  1853-55  (Mr.  Gibb's  second  pastorate.);  1857-58; 
B.  Sleight,  1861-63.     A  long  period  of  discourgaement. 

But  for  the  interest  of  Rev.  D.  T.  Morrell  of  Newark  and  a  licen- 
tiate of  his  church,  W.  H.  Bergfells,  the  church  might  have  dis- 
banded. In  the  winter  of  1866,  several  young  people  of  Lyons  Farms 
had  been  converted  and  baptized  in  a  revival  in  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Elizabeth.  In  April,  at  a  meeting  called  to  decide  the  future  of  the 
church,  two  converts  offered  themselves  for  baptism,  in  a  few  days 
others  offered  themselves  for  baptism.  Letters  from  residents  were 
given  in  from  Elizabeth  and  other  baptisms  occured,  with  the  result 
that  Mr.  Bergfells  was  called  and  ordained  in  November,  1866.  While 
pastor  a  new  house  of  worship  was  built.  The  frail  constitution  of 
Mr.  Bergfells,  however,  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  take  long  intervals 
and  at  last  to  give  up  pastoral  work,  which  he  did  in  June,  1872,  having 
won  a  "good  report  during  the  nearly  six  years  of  his  pastorate. 

More  than  a  year  passed  when  Rev.  S.  L.  Cox  became  pastor  in 
June,  1873.     Inability  to  support  a  pastor  led  to  his  resignation  in 
1874.     Next  year,  in  February,  Mr.  J.  G.  Dyer  was  called  to  be  pastor 
and  was  ordained.     He  continued  two  years,  to  1877. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bergfells  entered  the  pastoral  office  the  second  time  in 
1878,  and  remaining  to  1887,  when  again  his  health  failed.  A  vacancy 
in  the  pastoral  office  occured  for  two  years  and  in  1891,  Rev.  G.  C. 
Shirk  accepted  a  call  for  a  year  and  for  the  same  period  Rev.  J.  W. 
Turner  was  pastor  till  1894.     For  the  third  time,  Mr.  Bergfells.     But 


294  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

in  the  third  year  of  this  third  charge  of  the  same  church  his  health  gave 
way  and  he  closed  his  work  in  1896.  The  church  owes  an  immense 
debt  to  this  devoted  man  and  he  is  an  instance  of  how  real  the  love  of 
God  is  in  a  converted  soul.  The  Lyons  Farms  Church  had  not  in  any 
of  Mr.  Bergfells  pastorates  been  able  to  give  their  pastor  a  "living 
salary." 

In  1897,  Rev.  T.  E.  Vasser  became  pastor.  The  successful  min- 
istry of  Br.  Bergfells  continues  in  Mr.  Yasser's  labors  up  to  1900.  A 
brighter  and  happier  outlook  cheers  the  people.  Few  churches  have 
had  a  more  severe  test  of  their  faith  and  a  longer  endurance  of  hardship 
and  more  discouraging.  Their  history  is  an  instance  of  "the  persever- 
ance of  the  saints  and  their  geneology,  Piscataway,  Scotch  Plains 
and  Lyons  Farms  explains  in  part  their  tenacity  of  life  and  their  un- 
yielding maintenance  of  their  Baptist  integrity. 

Three  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  the  use  of  the  church :  One 
built  in  1768;  the  second  in  1792;  a  third  in  the  second  charge  of  Mr. 
Bergfells.  They  speak  of  the  aid  given  to  them  by  the  churches  of 
Newark  with  special  appreciation.  First  Newark  was  a  colony  from 
Lyons  Farms  and  though  an  exception  to  the  apostolic  rule  (2  Cor. 
12:  14.),  it  is  fitting  in  church  life  that  the  children  should  lay  up  for 
their  parents. 

Lyons  Farms  Church  has  had,  excepting  pastors  of  Piscataway, 
Scotch  Plains  and  Morristown,  twenty-seven  or  twenty-eight  pastors, 
one  has  had  two  charges,  another  has  been  pastor  three  times.  Lyons 
Farms  has  been  pastorless  many  years.  Rev.  Mr.  Bryant  had  the  long- 
est oversight,  his  successor  thirteen  years.  Pastors  Bryant  and  Wilcox 
served  at  their  own  "cost."  A  gospel  that  costs  nothing  is  usually 
the  most  expensive  and  exhausting.  It  is  not  said  that  other  of  the 
church  members  had  been  licensed  than  "Father.'  Wilcox.  Two  colo- 
nies have  gone  out  of  Lyons  Farms,  Canoebrook,  1786;  (Northfield) ; 
and  First  Newark,  1801. 

We  are  indebted  to  Morgan  Edwards  for  an  early  account  of  North- 
field.  First  known  as  Canookrook  as  stated  by  Morgan  Edwards,  who 
adds:  "The  familes  are  about  thirty  whereof  thirty-five  persons  are 
baptized  and  in  the  communion,  here  administered  the  third  Sunday 
in  every  month.  No  temporality,  no  rich  persons,  no  minister;  salary 
uncertain,  but  they  talk  of  raising  twenty  or  thirty  pounds  could 
they  get  a  minister  to  reside  among  them.  They  meet  in  a  school  house 
ha\-ing  as  yet  no  meeting  house.  The  above  is  the  present  state  of 
Canoobrook,  December  14th,  1789."  and  adds: 

"The  rise  of  Baptist  interests  in  this  part  of  Essex  was  as  follows: 
About  the  year  1780,  Mr.  Obed  Durham  moved  hither  from  Lyons  Farms 


NORTHFIELD  295 

(where  he  was  a  member)  and  invited  Rev.  Reune  Runyon  and  others 
to  preach  at  his  house.  After  him  succeeded  Rev.  Messrs.  Guthrie, 
Grummon,  etc.,  the  means  took  effect  and  the  following  persons  were 
baptized  in  Canoebrook,  viz.:  Moses  Edwards,  Timothy  Meeker,  Thos- 
Force,  Timothy  Ward,  Desire  Edwards,  Sarah  Cook,  Mary  Cory  and 
Cantrell  Edwards.  They  joined  the  church  at  Lyons  Farms,  but 
finding  the  distance  too  great  to  attend  the  mother  church,  they 
obtained  a  dismission  and  leave  to  become  a  distinct  society.  In  the 
dismission  was  included  the  said  Obed  Dunham  and  wife.  These  eleven 
persons  were  constituted  a  Gospel  church,  April  19th,  1786.  One  of 
the  constituents  was  a  soldier  in  the  American  revolution.  He  and 
his  nine  sons  and  two  sons-in-law  were  soldiers  in  the  war.  Another 
constituent,  Moses  Edwards,  was  a  deacon  from  the  organization  of 
the  church  for  twelve  years  and  was  called  then  to  be  pastor  and  held 
the  office  seventeen  years,  until  he  removed  to  the  West. 

Mr.  J.  Price  was  the  first  pastor  of  the  church,  from  1787.  His 
successsor  preached  at  Lyons  Farms.  There  is  a  contradiction  of  dates 
relative  to  these  pastors  and  it  is  vain  to  try  to  reconcile  them.  At  first 
the  church  worsphipped  in  a  school  house,  later  a  property  was  bought 
on  which  was  a  dwelling  house  that  was  remodeled  into  a  place  of  worship. 
When  this  was  done  is  not  written.  After  this  it  was  voted  "whereas, 
three  places  have  been  proposed  in  which  to  build  a  meeting  house; 
Resolved,  that  three  subscriptions  be  circulated  for  a  building  at  each 
locality  and  that  the  house  be  built  at  the  place  for  which  the  largest 
sum  is  subscribed  and  the  other  subscriptions  be  void."  This  structure 
was  dedicated  in  December,  1801.  Deacon  Ball  was  making  ready  to 
build  a  house  for  himself  at  this  time  and  he  gave  the  material  he  had 
provided  for  himself.     This  house  was  in  use  till  1868. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Jones  was  pastor,  1792-94;  Messrs.  Bryant  and  E.  Jayne 
are  said  to  have  ministered,  1794-98;  then,  Deacon  Moses  Edwards 
was  called  to  be  pastor  and  he  is  said  by  some  authorities  to  have  been 
the  first  pastor  of  the  church.  A  successor  has  said  of  Moses  Edwards: 
"  He  had  little  learning,  read  but  few  books,  except  the  Bible,  but 
posses.sed  eminent  natural  gifts;  working  in  the  week  at  his  double 
calling  of  farmer  and  blacksmith,  and  on  the  Lord's  day,  preached. 
The  prosperity  of  the  church  under  his  labors  and  the  warm  affection 
with  which  he  was  regarded,  has  not  been  equaled  since"  He  had  no 
stated  salary,  believed  to  be  a  man  of  ample  "means."  An  instance 
is  not  recalled  in  which  this  policy  was  not  a  success.     Silas  South- 


296  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

worth,  Peter  Wilson,  Robert  Kelsay,  Job  Sheppard,  Isaac  Stelle,  Ben- 
jamin Miller,  Reune  Runyan,  James  Carman,  and  John  Walton  and 
others  are  instances. 

In  1815,  John  Watson,  having  been  called,  was  ordained  and 
became  pastor  for  three  years.  Mr.  Watson  stood  very  high  abroad 
and  at  home.  Rev.  A.  Elliot  followed  in  1821  and  was  in  charge  to 
1834.  Mr.  Elliot  was  seventy  j'ears  old  at  his  resignation.  Elisha  Gill 
settled  in  the  pastoral  office  in  1835,  holding  it  till  1838.  An  unworthy 
man  was  pastor  for  one  year  and  was  followed  in  January,  1842,  by  Rev. 
Rev.  I.  M.  Church. 

A  remarkable  work  of  grace  occured  in  the  first  year  of  Mr.  Church's 
settlement  from  which  ninety-six  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism. 
Mr.  Church  remained  four  years  in  this,  his  first,  charge  at  Northfield. 
In  the  interim  of  five  years  of  his  first  and  second  settlements  at  North- 
field,  Rev.  J.  F.  Jones  and  Rev.  J.  H.  Waterbury  ministered  to  the 
church.  In  1851.  Pastor  Church  returned  and  closed  his  second  charge 
in  1853.  William  Hind  ministered,  1855-65,  whose  infirmities  com- 
pelled his  resignation  and  who  died  September,  1871,  seventy-six  years 
old.  The  following  pastors  served  the  church:  J.  T.  Craig,  ordained, 
September,  1867-70;  J.  L.  Davis,  supply,  1870-75;  A.  C.  Knowlton, 
1877-80;  A.  S.  Bastain,  1881-93;  E.  B.  Hughes,  1894;  M.  F.  Lee,  1895- 
96;  W.  H.  Gardener,  1896-1900. 

Mr.  Davis  began  an  identity  of  interests  and  mutual  pastorates 
between  Northfield  and  Livingston  churches,  serving  both  churches. 
Rev.  William  Hind  united  with  Northfield,  was  licensed  and  ordained 
in  1855,  and  pastor  ten  years.  On  account  of  age  and  sickness,  he  closed 
his  work  at  Northfield  in  1865.  Matters  are  mixed  in  the  historical 
remnants  of  Northfield  and  Livingston  churches.  Pastor  Craig 
erected  a  new  house  of  worship  which  was  dedicated  in  1868. 

There  is  an  indifference  to  dates  that  discourages  attempts  to  under- 
stand events.  Nineteen  pastors  have  ministered  to  Northfield  Church. 
One  had  been  a  deacon  of  the  church  twelve  years  and  pastor  seven- 
teen years.  Mr.  Elliot  gave  up  his  because  of  his  advanced  years.  Mr. 
Hind  also  for  illness  and  age.  Before  the  institution  of  LiAangston 
Church,  Northfield  was  somewhat  isolated  and  of  limited  resources 
inducing  a  change  of  pastors  not  congenial  to  the  people.  Had  the 
members  been  able  to  care  for  a  pastor,  there  is  no  question  but  that 
his  needs  would  have  been  fully  met.  Instance  of  this  is  that  Mr. 
Edwards  received  only  the  "gifts"  which  his  kindly  people  insisted  upon 
as  a  testimonial  of  their  love  for  him.  Two  licentiates  of  the  church 
were  called  to  be  its  pastors.  Deacon  Edwards  and  Mr.  Hind.  These 
held  long  pastorates. 


NORTHFIELD  AND  JEFFERSON  VILLAGE  297 

Northfield  has  sent  out  throe  colonies.  In  1810,  sixteen  were  dis- 
missed to  constitute  a  church  in  Jefferson  village,  which  disbanded  in 
1848.  Seventeen  members  were  dismissed  in  1851  to  form  the  church 
at  Livingston.  The  church  formed  at  Milhurn,  constituted  in  1858, 
received  eight  or  ten  members  from  Northfield.  The  account  of  North- 
fiield  nuist  not  be  dismissed  as  that  of  a  small  and  out  of  the  way  place. 
Its  membership  included  some  of  the  noble  and  most  devoted  men  and 
women.  Such  as  Obed  Dunham,  Moses  Edwards  and  Deacon  A.  Ball 
have  few  compeers  and  belong  to  the  companionship  of  Richard  Leonard, 
Henry  Ely,  Matthew  Morrison,  Enoch  Allen,  the  Wilsons,  Runyons 
and  others,  whom  the  AU-Seeing-Eye  has  noted  as  those  whose  five 
talents  have  won  the  other  five.  G.  W.  Clark,  though  a  licentiate  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Newark,  was  baptized  at  Northfield  in  1843 
and  for  nine  years  was  a  member  of  this  church. 

Jefferson  Village  Baptist  Church  was  a  colony  of  Northfield  Church 
constituted  in  1810  with  sixteen  members.  It  survived  thirty-eight 
years.  It  had  two  pastors  according  to  associational  report,  and  two 
others  not  reported.  One  of  whom.  Rev.  Joseph  Gildersleeve  seems  to 
have  served  them  for  a  number  of  years.  They  had  a  good  house  of 
worship.  If  in  their  early  days  they  had  had  foreign  help,  as  a  "State 
Convention,"  to  have  supplied  the  means  of  sustaining  a  pastor  of  the 
church  could  it  possibly  have  survived.  Some  are  reported  baptized 
among  them.  The  largest  number  (if  we  are  correctly  informed  by 
the  minutes  of  the  New  York  Association)  reported  in  one  year  was 
twenty-five.  The  Jefferson  Village  Church  was  disbanded  in  1848. 
Very  often  the  minutes  of  the  Association  said,  "no  report."  The  house 
of  worship  a  few  years  later  passed  into  Methodist  hands  and  was  re- 
moved to  Maplewood  and  enlarged. 

A  colony  from  the  Northfield  church  constituted  the  Livingston 
Church  in  June  1851 .  Seventeen  were  dismissed  from  the  mother  body. 
Rev.  J.  B.  Waterbury  first  ministered  to  them,  then  G.  G.  Gleason  was 
called  to  be  pastor  and  later  was  ordained.  His  stay  was  six  months. 
The  church  built  a  meeting  house  which  was  dedicated  in  October, 
1853. 

In  that  year  Rev.  Thomas  Davis  became  pastor  in  April,  1853. 
Mr.  Davis  was  widely  known  in  New  Jesey  and  was  eminently  adapted 
to  new  fields.  Northfield  and  Livingston  united  under  his  ministry, 
the  pastor  preaching  alternately  in  these  churches  and  afterwards  had 
a  common  pastorate.  The  succession  of  pastors  has  been:  G.  G" 
Gleason,  six  months;  T.  Davis,  1853-55;  William  Hind,  1855;  T.  M. 
Grenelle,  185G-7;  H.  W.  Webber,  1859;  J.  B.  Hutchiason,  1860-62; 
S.  C.  Moore,  1865-67;  J.  T.  Craig,  1868-69;  J.  L.  Davis,  1870-78;  A.  C. 


298  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Knowlton,  1879-80;  A.  S.  Bastian,  1881-92;  E.  B.  Hughes,  1893-95; 
M.  F.  Lee,  1895-96;  W.  H.  Gardner,  1896-1900. 

There  have  been  fourteen  pastors.  Nine  of  them  pastors  of  both 
Northfield  and  Livingtson  churches.  One  of  them  was  licensed,  or- 
dained and  minister  to  both  churches.  A  parsonage  was  built  in  1872. 
Northfield  and  Livingston  are  each  in  Livingston  township  and  not  far 
apart. 

On  October  18th,  1858,  the  Milburn  Church  was  constituted  with 
nine  members  and,  inasmuch  as  Northfield  Church  dismissed  eight  to 
ten  to  unite  with  others  in  its  organization,  Milburn  is  included  as 
having  maternity  in  Northfield  Church.  In  the  next  December,  Mr. 
H.  C.  Townley  was  ordained  and  became  pastor.  A  Sunday  School 
was  begun  in  May,  1859.  Usually  worship  was  in  a  hall,  but  the  large 
congregations  in  suitable  weather  made  it  necessary  to  hold  the  Lord's 
Day  meetings  in  a  grove,  so  that  a  church  edifice  was  a  necessity.  Mr. 
Townley  resigned  in  1860,  having  prospered  in  his  labors. 

In  October,  1861,  Rev.  Kelsay  Walling  settled  and  labored  under 
great  discouragement  on  account  of  the  large  indebtness  on  the  church 
property.  The  house  of  worship  was  dedicated  in  October,  1861. 
On  the  next  December,  Mr.  Walling  resigned  to  take  effect  February 
first,  1863,  but  the  church  prevailed  with  him  to  remain  till  September, 
1864. 

In  1865,  Rev.  J.  D.  Merrell  became  pastor  and  occupied  the  office 
till  1869.  Under  Pastor  Merrell  a  work  of  grace  occurred  and  ninety 
converts  were  baptized.  In  January,  1870,  Rev.  A.  Chambers  entered 
the  pastoral  office  continuing  until  June,  1873.  Pastors  following 
were:  A.  B.  Woodward,  1873-76;  C.  A.  Babcock,  1876-77  (ordained 
in  October,  1876).  A  colony  was  dismissed  to  unite  with  others  to 
form  the  church  at  Summit. 

H.  Wescott  settled  as  pastor  in  1877-82.  Happily  he  did  not 
depend  on  a  salary  and  thus  was  a  relief  to  the  church.  The  improba- 
bility of  the  church  meeting  their  financial  obligations,  led  the  church 
to  transfer  its  property  to  North  Orange  Baptist  Church  by  which  the 
debt  was  paid.  W.  E.  Bogart  was  pastor  one  year,  1883 ;  I.  M.  B.  Thomp- 
son, 1884-89.  The  house  of  worship  in  this  term  was  thoroughly  re- 
paired at  its  original  cost  and  paid  for.  Rev.  F.  E.  Osborne  became 
pastor  in  1890  to  1900.  The  Milburn  congregation  is  in  full  o-mier- 
sihp  of  its  house  of  worship,  which  is  unencumbered  with  debt. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


NEWARK   CHURCHES. 


On  June  6th,  1801,  nine  members  of  the  Lyons  Farms  Baptist 
Church,  resident  in  Newark  were  dismissed  from  that  body  to  consti- 
tute the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Newark.  The  minute  of  the  Lyons 
Farms  Church  was:  "At  a  church  meeting  held  at  the  Lyons  Farms, 
July  24,  1800,  we  whose  names  are  undersigned,  being  members  of  the 
church  at  Lyons  Farms  and  residing  at  Newark,  obtained  liberty  of 
that  church  to  open  a  place  of  worship  there  in  the  town  of  Newark  and 
to  attend  the  same  at  all  times,  except  on  their  communion  seasons, 
and  to  consider  ourselves  a  branch  of  that  church."  William  Ovington, 
John  Ransley,  Kipps  Baldwin,  George  Hobdey,  Michael  Law,  Mrs. 
Ransley  and  Mrs.  Law,  five  men  and  two  women. 

An  inkling  of  the  ideas  of  those  days  in  this  record  is  that  these 
seven  say  that  they  have  obtained  "liberty  of  that  church."  We  would 
hardly  ask  "liberty"  to  do  a  good  thing.  The  liberty  to  do  for  Christ 
is  conceded  as  an  inalienable  right  of  every  disciple.  A  most  commend- 
able feature  of  the  above  asking  was  liberty  to  attend  the  mission  ser- 
vice at  "all  times"  and  thus  avoid  the  appearance  of  harming  the 
mother  church  by  absence  from  its  worship,  save  at  its  communion 
seasons.  These  seven  disciples  had  a  clear  sense  of  both  their  obligation 
to  the  church  of  which  they  were  members,  as  well  also  to  the  locality 
where  they  lived.  Evidently  they  were  of  the  right  stock  to  lay  found- 
ations. 

There  was  nothing  to  encourage  them  in  the  religious  predilections 
of  Newark.  It  had  been  settled  by  a  colony  of  Connecticut  Congrega- 
tionalists,  whose  anti-Baptist  views  had  expression  of  the  intollerance 
of  New  England  Puritans.  The  proprietors  of  Newark  patent  resolved 
that  "none  should  be  admitted  freemen  or  free  burgesses  save  such  as 
were  members  of  one  or  the  other  of  the  Congregational  chtirches."  And 
they  determined  as  a  fundamental  agreement  and  order  that  "any  who 
might  differ  in  religion  from  them  and  who  would  not  keep  their  views 
to  themseh'es,  should  be  compelled  to  leave  the  place." 

The  Presbyterians  by  1801  had  supplanted  the  Congregationalists 
and  got  possession  of  their  properties.  They  did  not  like  Baptists  more 
than  the  Puritans.  A  leader  among  them  said  in  1644 :  "Of  all  heretics 
and  schismatics  the  American  Baptists  ought  to  be  most  carefully  looked 


300  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

unto  and  severely  punished,  if  not  utterly  extcrmininated  and  banished 
out  of  the  church  and  Kingdom."  (Cramp's  Baptist  History,  page 
306.)  The  prosepct  was  not  cheering  to  the  seven  Baptists  proposing 
to  plant  a  Baptist  Church  in  Newark.  However,  Baptists  had  secured 
a  guarantee  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  in  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  that  made  it  safe  for  Baptists  even  in  Xewark.  These 
seven  Baptists  hired  a  school  house  for  one  year,  agreeing  to  repair  the 
plastering  and  finish  painting  "ye  gable  end,"  as  compensation  for  the 
use  of  the  building.  In  June,  1801,  two  women,  Joanna  Grummon 
and  Phoebe  Hadden  joined  to  the  seven  and  these  nine  constituted  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Xewark.  The  growing  town  implied  increase 
not  only  from  nearby  churches,  but  by  converts.  Added  numbers  and 
corresponding  strength  forced  upon  the  church  the  necessity  of  a 
meeting  house.  Lots  were  bought  in  1805  and  in  September,  1806,  a 
house  of  worship  was  dedicated. 

Rev.  Charles  Lahatt  supplied  the  church  soon  after  its  organiza- 
tion. In  1802,  he  was  called  to  be  pastor,  remaining  until  1806,  hav-ing 
the  confidence  of  the  church  and  a  happy  pastorate.  "Supplies" 
ministered  until  March,  1808,  when  Rev.  P.  Thurston  became  pastor. 
Under  his  charge  numbers  of  converts  were  added  to  the  church.  Rev. 
Daniel  Sharp  settled  as  pastor  and  was  ordained  on  April  9th,  1809. 
His  oversight  continued  two  years  and  more.  A  larger  house  of  worship 
was  built  while  Mr.  Sharp  was  pastor  and  his  pastorate  was  shortened 
by  dissentions  on  account  of  which  he  resigned.  With  his  removal, 
the  troubles  developed  very  seriously  and  in  the  next  two  years  the 
church  was  brought  to  a  low  estate  by  factional  differences.  In  1812, 
Rev.  John  Lamb  was  chosen  pastor  and  for  a  year  had  very  little  of  a 
"lamb-like"  experience. 

In  1814,  Rev.  David  Jones  entered  the  pastorate.  His  coming  was 
a  benediction  to  the  church.  Harmony  was  restored,  converts  were 
multiplied  and  the  membership  was  increased.  The  seven  years  of  his 
charge  was  a  period  of  loving  and  prosperous  service.  Mr.  Jones  is 
more  widely  known  by  his  pastorate  of  Lower  Dublin  ( Penepack ) 
Church,  near  Philadelphia,  and  the  high  place  he  had  in  the  councils  of 
the  denomination.  His  successor  for  two  years  was  Rev.  D.  Putman 
and  after  him  for  six  months.  Rev.  E.  Loomis. 

Trouble  and  sorrow  again  befell  the  church.  The  causes  of  its 
adversities  have  not  wisely  been  made  public.  Larger  towns  then  as 
now  absorbed  the  disorderly  element  in  the  churches.  Baptists  emi- 
grated to  America  unfamiliar  to  our  ways  and  quite  naturally  suggested 
their  ways  as  an  improvement  and  with  a  persistence  that  involved 
trouble.     Their  ideas  of  religious  liberties  also  were  very  crude.     To 


FIRST  NEWARK  301 

many  it  meant  license  to  ha\e  their  own  way  and  a  limitation  of  their 
liberty  to  do  and  to  teach  their  notions  was  accounted  an  infringement 
of  their  "rights,"  ignorant  that  "rights"  had  their  limitations  of  truth 
duty  and  honor. 

That  day  was  also  an  era  of  change.  Antinomians  and  Armi- 
nians  were  each  in  search  for  a  crevice  in  which  to  get  hold.  Missions, 
Sunday  Schools,  temperance,  education  and  religious  activities  inspired 
opposing  parties  with  great  concern  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  w^elfare 
of  the  church.  Few  of  our  churches  but  have  had  these  contending 
elements  in  either  country  towns  and  cities,.  Of  necessity,  therefore, 
they  were  brought  face  to  face  with  sharp  disagreements.  It  is  a  sur- 
prise not  that  so  many  of  our  churches  had  troubles,  but  that  so  few 
had  and  that  when  they  arose,  they  were  so  quickly  removed. 

Two  years  passed  ere  another  pastor  settled.  In  1828,  Rev.  J.  S. 
C.  P.  Frey  was  ordained  to  the  pastorate.  He  remained  two  years. 
Mr.  Frey  had  become  a  Christian  among  Pedo  Baptists,  but  the  New 
Testament  made  him  a  Baptist.  He  published  a  book  on  baptism  in 
1829.  In  its  preface  he  states:  "At  the  christening  of  one  of  my  chil- 
dren, the  minister  exhorted  us,  observing:  'These  children  are  now 
members  of  the  church,  adopted  into  the  family  of  God,  etc.,  etc'  These 
declarations  appeared  to  me  at  that  moment  inconsistent.  *  *  * 
I  resolved  not  to  present  another  child  of  my  own,  nor  to  baptize  the 
children  of  any  others  before  I  had  investigated  the  subject,  comparing 
the  best  books  on  both  sides  of  the  question  with  the  word  of  God. 
I  came  to  the  conviction  that  believers  are  the  only  subjects  and  im- 
mersion is  the  only  Scriptural  mode  of  baptism.  Therefore,  I  offered 
myself  to  the  Baptist  Church  in  New  York  under  the  care  of  Rev.  A. 
MacClay,  by  whom  I  was  baptized  August  28,  1827." 

Rev.  P.  L.  Piatt  followed  Mr.  Frey  in  1830  and  at  the  end  of  the 
year  went  with  a  colony  to  form  another  church,  which  movement 
proved  a  failure.  For  more  than  six  years  from  August,  1832,  Rev. 
Daniel  Dodge  was  pastor.  Under  his  labors  the  membership  of  the 
church  was  nearly  doubled.  Concord  and  mutual  confidence  were  re- 
stored. Mr.  Dodge  was  a  man  of  influence  in  Newark,  both  in  his 
church  and  in  the  city,  and  eminently  useful.  After  he  resigned.  Rev. 
William  Sym  entered  the  pastorate  in  April,  1839.  He  was  the  same 
type  of  man  as  Mr.  Dodge.  The  church  grew  in  number  and  in  influence. 
Revivals  characterized  his  pastorate,  one  of  which  was  of  especial  power. 
The  house  of  worship  was  much  improved  at  the  cost  of  thousands 
of  dollars.  Both  of  these  pastors  were  men  of  high  toned  Calvinistic 
preachers  and  proved  that  Calvinism  built  up  strong  and  active 
churches.     It  was  feared  that  both  of  them  would  slip  into  the  night 


302  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  antinomianism.  but  they  were  graciously  kept.  Neither  of  them 
made  pretense  to  collegiate  study,  nor  even  to  academic.  They  were 
Bible  students  and  knew  experimental  piety.  Their  lives  accorded 
with  their  preaching  of  "temperance,  righteousness  and  a  judgment  to 
come"  and  "knowing  the  terrors  of  the  Lord  persuaded  men,"  alike  the 
old  and  the  young.  Preaching  of  its  kind  won  men  and  formed  a  reli- 
gious character  in  the  Pews  which  was  "salt"  and  "light"  of  piety. 

Rev.  H.  V.  Jones  succeeded  Mr.  Sym.  Pastor  Jones  was  a  man  of 
sterling  good  sence  and  had  a  clear  idea  of  the  needs  of  the  Baptist 
cause  in  Newark  and  of  the  means  essential  to  its  largest  development. 
The  church  clerk  in  an  historical  sketch  in  1876,  having  summed  the 
data  of  the  growth  of  the  church  at  the  end  of  the  second  quarter  of 
the  centennial  period  says,  "The  secret  of  this  advance  was  a  more 
correct  idea  of  the  mission  of  the  church,  it  was,  when  this  body  partic- 
ularly under  the  ministry  of  Rev.  H.  V.  Jones  in  the  colonization  of 
the  South  church  in  February,  1850,  reaUy  apprehended  and  began  to 
act  upon  the  Gospel  idea  of  enlargement  by  activity,  that  it  began  to 
grow."  A  fitting  recognition  of  the  special  service  of  Pastor  Jones  in 
Newark.  Under  the  wise  administration  of  Pastors  Dodge  and  Sym  the 
church  had  accumulated  strength,  both  in  men  and  in  "means,"  and 
needed  most  of  all  a  man  capable  of  developing  its  efficiency.  Mr. 
Jones  comprehended  the  people  and  their  opportunity.  He  was  an  in- 
spiration and  his  plans  commended  him  to  the  strong  men  of  his  church 
as  a  wise  and  safe  leader.  His  pastorate  was  from  September,  1843, 
to  April,  1850.  During  that  time  three  hundred  were  added  to  the 
church,  among  whom  were  foremost  men  in  the  city,  men  of  wealth 
of  large  business  pursuits,  masters  in  professional  and  in  political  circles. 
As  the  roots  of  trees  in  the  Spring  send  out  shoots,  so  to  a  vital  church. 

In  the  fall  of  1849,  he  (Mr.  Jones)  said  to  the  writer:  "The  mother 
church  should  build  and  pay  for  a  becoming  house  of  worship  and  then 
appoint  some  of  her  strongest  and  best  members  to  go  out  with  a  colonj' 
that  in  its  beginning  could  care  for  itself  and  be  an  aid  to  the  First 
Church  to  do  city  work."  As  he  said  this,  we  came  to  the  building  now 
occupied  by  the  South  Church,  then  enarly  finished,  and  added:  "We 
do  not  propose  to  establish  a  "mission"  here,  but  a  church  which  will 
be  our  helper  in  like  enterprises."  Those  familiar  with  the  constituency 
of  the  South  Church  and  its  record  in  Baptist  city  missions  of  Newark, 
well  know  how  practically  Mr.  Jones  carried  out  his  ideas  of  church 
expansion  and  whether  the  South  church  has  justified  his  policy. 
Conducting  the  writer  thence  to  a  comer  on  Broad  street,  and  pointing 
to  an  angle^on  that  street,  seen  for  a  long  distance,  Mr.  Jones  said: 
'That  is  the  most  prominent  place  in  Newark.     We  are  assured  that 


FIRST  NEWARK  303 

when  its  title  is  perfected  we  will  own  it.  The  meeting  house  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  will  be  built  there."  It  has  been  said  to  the  writer 
that  the  Peddie  memorial  building  is  on  that  site.  If  so,  the  forecast 
of  Mr.  Jones  was  remarkable.  The  historian  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Newark  has  truly  said,  that  Mr.  Jones  left  the  church"  harmonious 
and  highly  prosperous."  His  removal  would  be  a  mysterious  provi- 
dence did  we  not  know  that  Rev.  H.  C.  Fish  would  follow  him,  whosa 
memory  and  work  will  be  an  everlasting  remembrance  at  home  in 
New  Jersey. 

The  same  year  in  which  Mr.  Jones  resigned,  1850,  Rev.  E.  E.  Cum- 
mings  became  pastor,  remaining  only  a  year  and  resigned  for  the  same 
reason  as  had  Mr.  Jones,  ill  health.  Rev.  H.  C.  Fish  began  his  charge 
in  1851  with  eminently  favorable  conditions.  Under  Pastor  Jones 
foundations  had  been  laid,  inspiration  acquired,  direction  of  local 
activities  attained,  men  of  power,  of  wealth  and  of  appreciation  had 
been  added  to  the  church,  all  of  which  under  the  executive  force  of  and 
direction  of  such  a  man  as  H.  C.  Fish  would  be  put  to  the  highest  and 
best  use.  The  event  proved  that  the  right  man  had  been  put  in  the 
right  place. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Clark  was  asked  by  the  writer  to  prepare  a  memorial 
of  Mr.  Fish,  and  with  some  abbreviations  is  inserted:  "H.  C.  Fish  was 
born  in  Vermont,  his  father.  Rev.  Samuel  Fish  was  pastor  for  more 
than  forty  years,  of  the  Baptist  church  in  the  town  in  which  he  and 
his  son,  H.  C.  Fish,  were  born.  When  sixteen  years  old,  the  son  united 
with  his  father's  church  in  1836.  Of  studious  habits  and  academic 
training  for  teaching,  the  son  came  to  New  Jersey  in  1840  and  taught 
for  two  years.  Impressed  that  he  ought  to  preach,  Mr.  Fish  entered 
Union  Theological  Seminary  in  1842.  Graduating  in  1845,  the  next 
day  he  was  ordained  for  the  pastorate  at  Somerville  on  June  26th,  1845. 
The  church  at  Somerville  prospered  under  his  labors  at  and  the  end 
of  five  years,  first  Newark  called  hbn,  (Mr.  Cummings  having  resigned) 
and  Mr.  Fish  became  pastor  there  in  January,  1851.  His  intense 
activity  had  a  result  that  in  almost  every  month  of  his  long  pas,torate 
converts  were  baptized  and  great  revivals  were  enjoyed  in  1854,  1858 
1864,  1866,  1876,  in  these  revivals  there  were  baptized  106,  236,  125 
152,  224.  In  other  years,  scores  were  baptized.  In  the  nearly 
twenty-seven  years  of  his  charge  in  Newark,  more  than  fourteen  hundred 
were  baptized  and  the  membership  was  increased  from  340  to  1199. 

In  1851,  there  were  three  Baptist  churches  in  Newark  (one  a  Ger- 
man Baptist,  the  other  the  South  church,  both  originated  under  Mr. 
Jones).  These  three  had  a  membership  of  five  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  in  1877,  the  year  in  which  Mr.  Fish  died  there  were  ten  churches 


304  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

with  three  thousand  and  fifty-five  members.  Mr.  Fish  had  a  large 
part  in  the  origin  of  these  churches,  that  were  located  in  the  central 
points  of  the  growing  cit)'. 

Pastor  Fish's  plan  of  increase  differed  widely  from  that  of  Pastor 
Jones.  Mr.  Jones  would  build  a  substantial  roomy  house  of  worship 
as  in  the  case  of  the  South  church  and  colonize  a  strong  church  that 
would  be  an  immediate  helper  in  evangelization.  Mr.  Fish  proposed 
cheap  chapels  for  temporary  use,  to  be  supplanted  by  a  substantial 
meting  house.  The  first  plan  commanded  attention;  invited  mem- 
bership and  returns  were  immediate.  The  last  involved  delay,  repelled 
membenship  by  the  prospect  of  large  future  cost.  The  South  church 
was  quite  as  efficient  at  the  first  church,  in  the  promotion  of  Baptist 
interests  in  Newark,  if  not  more  so. 

The  increase  of  the  membership  and  of  its  congregation  of  the  first 
church  required  a  larger  church  edifice.  A  new  location  was  bought 
in  1858  and  the  house  begun.  It  was  dedicated  in  1860  and  paid  for 
in  1863.  During  the  Civil  War,  1861-65,  the  first  church  was  a  center 
of  patriotic  interest.  Mass  meetings  were  held  in  its  house  and  one 
hundred  and  seventy-two  of  its  members  and  congregation  enlisted  in 
the  armies.  The  pastor  was  drafted  and  the  church  sent  a  substitute 
in  his  place. 

The  denominational,  educational  interests  of  the  state  had  a  large 
place  in  the  work  of  Pastor  Fish.  He  was  secretary  of  the  New  Jersey 
Education  Society  for  twenty-three  years  and  had  a  primary  part  in 
founding  the  German  department  of  Rochester  University.  Denom- 
inational schools  in  the  state  shared  fully  in  his  labors.  He  was  one  of 
the  most  devoted  friends  of  Peddle  Institute  and  in  the  last  twelve 
years  of  his  life  gave  to  it,  his  best  thoughts  and  plans.  Through  him, 
the  foremost  members  of  his  church  were  identified  with  the  school. 
Two  deacons,  D.  M.  Wilson  and  Hon,  T.  B.  Peddle,  were  presidents 
of  its  Board.  To  Mr.  Wilson  is  due  the  erection  of  the  spacious  and 
beautiful  building  Peddle  Institute  occupies.  Mr.  Peddle  followed 
as  President  at  Mr.  Wilson's  death,  from  whom  also,  its  endowments 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  came,  having  previously 
given  to  cancel  arrearages  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  nearly  last 
words  of  Mr.  Fish  were  said  to  Jlr.  Peddle:  "Brother  Peddle,  take  care 
of  Hight^town." 

Pastor  Fish  was  a  busy  writer,  publishing  as  many  as  nine  volumes. 
Some  were  prize  essays,  published  by  the  Boards  of  other  denominations. 
He  contributed  also,  frequent  articles  to  the  daily  and  religious  press. 
The  two  last  years  of  his  life  were  intense  in  their  activities.  In  July, 
1877,   physical  prostration  compelled  him  to  stop.     His  last  hours 


FIRST  NEWARK  305 

corresponded  with  his  life.  ''Don't  say  death,"  he  exclaimed:  "I  shall 
soon  be  on  the  other  side.  H.  C.  Fish  is  nothing;  the  grace  of  God  is 
everything."  Of  the  service  at  his  funeral  he  said:  "Let  it  be  a  plan  of 
victory,  the  shout  of  him  that  overcometh  through  the  Blood  of  the 
Lamb."  As  passing  away,  friends  could  only  catch  in  broken  words, 
"I  have  fought,"  and  he  was  gone  October  3rd,  1877,  in  his  58th  year. 
The  sense  of  loss  in  Newark  was  universal.  It  is  stated  that  ten  thous- 
and people  looked  upon  the  silent  one.  More  than  one  hundred  clergy- 
men were  present  at  the  burial.  Mr.  Fish  had  preached  over  four 
thousand  sermons  and  addresses,  and  had  made  twenty  thousand  visits. 
We  know  that  the  fruitage  of  these  labors,  none  of  it  will  be  lost. 

Rev.  Thomas  Rambaut  entered  the  pastorate  in  1878  and  re- 
mained three  years.  He  was  an  able  preacher  and  had  attained  a  high 
place  in  the  mmistry.  But  whoso  follows  a  successful  pastor,  enters 
on  a  serious  task.  Reaction  invariably  follows.  Unfavorable  contrasts 
are  made  and  disgruntled  ones  talk,  if  perchance  the  new  pastor  makes 
a  misstep  or  in  any  wise  gives  occasion  for  remark.  In  1883,  Rev.  E.  G. 
Taylor  became  pastor.  His  labors  for  three  years  were  profitable  for 
the  church. 

After  him.  Rev.  W.  W.  Boyd  settled  as  pastor  in  1887,  and  closed 
his  labors  in  1894.  The  spacious  house  of  worship,  which  had  been 
dedicated  in  1860,  was  sold  and  lots  in  a  more  public  place  bought  and 
a  new  edifice  built.  The  church  edifice  is  a  nondescript  affair.  It 
cost  about  two  hundred  thousand  dolars,  of  which  Mr.  Peddle  was 
the  chief  donor.  Soon  after,  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to 
Peddle  memorial.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  Boyd  had  more  to  do  with  the 
change  of  name  than  Mr.  Peddle.  Mr  Peddle  was  a  verj^  modest  man, 
upon  whom  such  a  name  must  needs  be  thrust.  The  house  sacrificed 
convenience  and  comfort  for  display  and  the  man  who  planned  and 
built  would  be  surely  asked  for  and  his  folly  would  be  his  memorial. 
Happily,  the  structure  is  never  likely  to  be  imitated.  Pastors  and 
churches  preferring  convenience  and  suitability  to  show\  This  hou.se 
was  dedicated  in  1890. 

Within  a  short  time  after  Mr.  Boyd's  resignation,  Rev.  C.  H.  Dodd 
was  called  to  be  pastor  and  is  now  (1900)  holding  the  office.  First 
Newark  church  and  first  Paterson  church  have  been  much  alike  in  their 
aggressive  work  in  the  cities  in  which  they  are.  In  Newark,  the  pastors 
were  the  inciting  force.  At  Paterson  the  membership  did  not  wait 
for  pastoral  impulse.  But,  A.  W.  Rogers,  M.  D.,  son  of  the  revered 
Rev.  John  Rogers,  lived  in  Paterson  and  was  an  impelling  influence. 
There  was  however,  mutual  co-operation  in  both  places. 


306  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

First  Newark  is  not  credited  with  colonizing  others  than  the  "South 
church"  and  the  First  Gennan  Baptist,  and  yet,  all  of  the  Baptist 
churches  there  owe  their  existence  substantially  to  the  mission  work 
which  was  sustained  by  the  first  and  by  the  South  churches  of  Newark. 
Especially  Pastor  William  Hague  and  Deacons  J.  M.  Davies,  at  whose 
home,  the  Newark  city  Mission  was  formed,  and  H.  M.  Baldwin,  all  of 
the  South  church,  were  constant  and  devoted  in  sustaining  local  mis- 
sions. 

First  Newark  has  had  eighteen  pastors,  of  whom  H.  C.  Fish  con- 
tinued twenty-six  and  more  years.  Three,  David  Jones,  D.  Dodge, 
and  H.  V.  Jones  served  the  church,  each  about  seven  3'ears.  Four 
meeting  houses,  one  in  1805;  a  second  in  1810  or  11 ;  a  third  in  1860  and 
a  fourth  in  1890.  Twelve  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach. 
Two  thousand,  six  hundred  and  forty-four  have  been  baptized  into 
the  membership  of  the  church. 

The  conditions  under  which  the  South  Church  originated  have  been 
given  in  the  history  of  the  First  church,  while  Rev.  H.  V.  Jones  was 
pastor  of  it.  The  house  of  worship  had  been  built  and  paid  for  by  the 
First  church  before  the  South  church  was  formed.  Then  a  colony  was 
appointed  by  the  mother  church  to  compose  the  South  church  of 
sufficient  strength  to  take  an  equal  place  with  itself  and  to  sustain  a 
pastor  quite  equal  in  all  respects  to  any  other  in  the  city.  An  estimate 
of  the  strength  of  this  body  may  be  made  by  the  fact  that  from  its 
organization  up  to  1883  the  average  of  its  benevolent  contributions  was 
seven  thousand  dollars  annully  and  in  1870,  its  benevolent  gifts  abroad 
were  eleven  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars. 

The  Baptist  City  Mission  of  Newark  was  formed  in  December 
1851,  at  the  home  of  a  member  of  South  Newark  (J.  M.  Davies),  deacon 
H.  M.  Baldwin  was  also  a  constituent.  W^hether  in  social  life,  in 
spiritual  and  church  relations  or  in  financial,  he  was  foremost  in 
Baptist  growth  in  Newark,  until  his  death  in  January  1882.  Every 
newly  organized  Baptist  church  in  the  city  shared  in  his  counsels  and 
in  his  generous  gifts.  In  the  effort  to  found  the  school  at  HightstowTi 
(now  Peddie  Institute),  he  was  the  first  donor  and  then  (unsolicited) 
of  one  thousand  dollars  for  it.  Deacon  Baldwin  did  not  need  the 
example  of  others  to  comprehend  his  opportunity  nor  his  duty.  An 
immediate  resultant  benefit  of  this  action  to  the  mother  church  was 
an  increase  of  the  salary  of  its  pastor  to  a  sum  more  befitting  his  position 
and  the  dignity  of  the  church.  Another  benefit  was,  the  general  wel- 
fare of  the  cause  of  righteousness  especially  in  its  local  promotion,  the 
means  of  its  advancement  being  doubled. 


SOUTH  CHURCH,  NEWARK  307 

Only  occasionally  pastors  propose  to  their  churches  the  removal 
of  their  best  and  most  influential  members  to  build  up  another  church, 
as  did  Mr.  Jones,  who  himself  was  a  man  of  rare  type.  The  policy 
which  originated  the  South  church  is  a  marked  contrast  to  that  usually 
followed.  Commonly  a  few  devoted  disciples  longing  to  do  more  for 
the  cause  of  Christ,  take  upon  them  the  responsibility  of  founding  a 
church,  with  great  sacrifices,  and  self  denials,  known  only  to  those 
who  have  had  experience  in  such  an  undertaking.  The  end  is  at  last 
attained;  not,  however,  in  many  cases  till  most  of  those  who  began 
the  enterprise  have  gone  to  their  reward  on  high.  Few  appeals  to  our 
helpfulness  have  a  better  claim  to  it:  coming  from  a  little  company, 
who  having  done  what  they  could  ask  help,  not  for  themselves,  but  for 
a  common  cause. 

The  South  Baptist  church  was  oganized  on  February  18th,  1850 
with  forty-five  constituents.  Their  house  of  worship  was  so  nearly 
completed,  that  on  the  14th  of  April,  they  worshipped  in  the  basement 
and  in  the  next  July  dedicated  the  sanctuary  worshipping  in  the  upper 
room.  Pastor  William  Hague  had  previously  accepted  a  call  to  be 
pastor.  He  was  one  of  the  foremost  men  of  the  denomination.  At 
the  end  of  the  first  year,  the  membership  had  grown  to  one  hundred 
and  twenty-eight,  verifying  the  wisdom  of  the  mother  church,  as  also, 
attesting  the  efficiency  of  the  new  body  and  giving  assurance  that  it 
would  be  a  helper  in  every  good  work.  Pastor  Hague  closed  his  min- 
istry in  Newark  in  1854,  in  accord  with  his  life  long  habit  of  short 
pastorates.  Despite  the  protests  of  his  people,  Mr.  Hague  persisted 
in  his  resignation. 

Rev.  O.  S.  Stearns  followed,  remaining  two  years;  whom  Rev.  E.  M. 
Levy  succeeded  and  broke  the  record  of  short  pastorates,  continuing 
until  1869,  more  than  ten  years.  After  Mr.  Levy  came  Rev.  John 
Dowling  for  three  years.  Mr.  Dowling  was  known  as  a  champion  of 
Protestantism.  Rev.  G.  A.  Peltz  succeeded  Mr.  Dowling  and  was 
pastor  of  the  church  four  years  until  1876.  Months  later,  Rev.  C.  Y. 
Swan  became  pastor.  His  labors  were  attended  with  constant  and 
large  blessing.  In  about  four  years,  an  illness  cut  short  his  earthly 
work.  He  died  in  August  1880,  Mr.  Swan  was  beloved.  He  had  many 
of  the  lofty  qualities  of  his  father.  Rev.  Jabez  Swan,  a  remarkable  man 
as  an  evangelist  in  New  York  and  contemporary  with  Jacob  Knapp, 
evangelist  as  widely  known.  To  hear  Mr.  Swan  pray  or  preach  was  an 
everlasting  remembrance.  Illustrative  of  the  fervency  and  piquancy 
of  Mr.  Swan's  preaching:  preaching  on  the  evidences  of  conversion,  he 
said:  "Put  a  hog  out  of  his  pen  and  he  will  go  to  his  wallow.  Put  a 
sheep  out  of  the  fold  and  he  will  bleat  around  its  walls  and  gates  till,  he 


308  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

gets  in  "  The  son  and  pastor  in  Newark,  having  had  the  pohsh  of 
college  training  was  in  manner  and  speech,  unUke  his  father. 

In  November  1880,  Rev.  T.  E.  Vassar  became  pastor  and  until 
1888,  had  a  happy  and  welcome  ministr}'  to  the  church  and  congre- 
gation. Mr.  Vassar  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  B.  English  for  one 
year.  Next  year  1890,  Rev.  R.  M.  Luther  settled  as  pastor.  During 
the  coming  eight  years,  he  ministered  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the 
people  of  his  charge,  closing  his  pastorate  in  August  1899.  On  the 
first  of  January,  1900,  Rev.  W.  G.  P'ennell  entered  the  pastorate  and  is 
now  holding  its  trusts. 

The  house  of  worship,  with  needed  renovation  and  enlargement 
is  the  same  as  that  originally  built  by  the  first  church  in  1849.  Those- 
who  subsequently  constituted  the  South  church  in  Newark  will  be 
understood  as  having  borne  their  full  share  of  the  cost  of  its  erection. 
Some  clearer  judgement  of  the  policy  of  sending  out  the  South  church 
may  be  gathered  from  these  data.  Pastor  Hague  suggested  that  the 
Lord's  Day  morning  collection  be  devoted  to  some  special  benevolence 
Since  its  organization  up  to  1900,  the  benevolence  of  the  church  sums 
up  one  hundred  and  eighty  thousand,  nine  hundred  and  sixty-five 
dollars.  The  number  of  licentiates  is  not  stated  publicly.  While  Mr. 
Vassar  was  pastor,  one  member  was  ordained  and  two  others  were 
licensed  to  preach.  Many  churches,  north,  south,  east  and  west,  have 
had  such  men  as  constituted  South  Newark.  Only  the  detail  of  church 
life  reveals  them.  Those  who  look  at  Christianity  in  the  gross,  have 
but  little  conception  of  its  power  over  the  whole  man. 

The  Noahs,  Abrahams,  Daniels,  Pauls  and  Barnabases  still  live  in 
the  men  and  women,  who  illustrate  the  higher  and  holier  consecration  of 
ones's  self  to  the  King  Immanuel,  with  which  he  endows  them. 

North  Newark  Baptist  church  deri^'es  its  name  from  the  North 
ward,  where  it  is  located.  Originally,  it  was  a  mission,  established  by 
the  Newark  Baptist  city  Mission,  when  that  society  was  formed  in 
December  1851.  On  the  eveining  of  its  first  meeting  at  the  home  of  J. 
M.  Davies  of  the  South  church.  The  society  resolved  to  begin  two 
missions,  one  in  the  North  ward  and  one  in  the  Fifth  ward  and  to 
employ  a  missionary  to  look  after  the  missions.  At  the  next  meeting 
of  the  Society  a  Board  consisting  of  an  equal  number  from  each  of  the 
churches,  the  first  and  the  south  church,  was  appointed.  Rev.  C.  W. 
Waterhouse  was  secured  as  a  missionary  and  meetings  were  appointed 
in  a  room  over  a  store  in  the  North  ward  and  in  a  hall  in  the  Fifth  ward. 
Thus  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  church  does  not  indicate  the 
beginning  of  work  on  the  field. 


NORTH  CHURCH,  NEWARK  309 

In  April  1S52,  a  company  of  disciples  united  themselves  for  special 
service  in  the  North  ward  mission.  They  had  so  much  encouragement 
that  m  1853,  a  chapel  was  built  for  their  use.  Desiring  to  effect  perma- 
nent results,  these  Christians  decided  on  the  10th  of  July  1854,  to  call 
a  council  to  organize  and  to  recognize  them  as  a  Baptist  church.  The 
Council  met  on  July  26th,  1854,  and  recognized  the  church  as  the 
"North  Baptist  church,"  having  forty-nine  constituents. 

Before  this,  however.  Rev.  Mr.  Waterhouse  had  retired  from  the 
North  ward  mission  and  Rev.  Mr.  Wright  supplied  his  place  until 
illness  compelled  him  to  retire  from  the  field.  The  Rev.  L.  Morse  was 
the  first  pastor,  beginning  his  labors  November  1st,  1854.  Under  his 
charge,  the  church  prospered.  He  closed  his  work  as  pastor  Api-il,  1858. 
The  membership  had  increased  from  fortv-nine  to  one  hundred  and 
forty-two,  seventy-four  of  whom  were  added  by  baptism. 

Rev.  Robert  Atkinson  followed  on  May  10th,  1858.  Ground 
was  bought  in  December,  1859,  for  a  larger  meeting  house,  but  only 
about  1862-3  was  the  building  undertaken,  the  City  Mission  Society 
giving  the  church  efficient  aid  to  effect  their  aim.  Mr.  Atkinson  closed 
his  labors  January  1st,  1868,  nearly  nine  years.  A  new  church  edifice 
had  been  built  and  three  hundred  and  ten  persons  had  been  baptized. 
Rev.  G.  E.  Horr  became  pastor  in  November,  1868,  and  resigned  about 
the  end  of  1871,  withdrawing  with  twenty  members,  who  with  ftthers, 
organized  the  Roseville  church  in  1871. 

In  October  1872,  Rev.  J.  Day  was  called  to  be  pastor.  The  church 
had  undergone  serious  losses.  Propositions  were  made  for  consolidation 
with  another  church,  but  the  North  church  declined  these  changes. 
In  fact,  the  Baptist  city  mission  Society  had  undertaken  too  much 
for  their  resources.  Under  Pastor  Day,  a  marked  change  came  to  the 
North  church.  Both  the  congregations  and  the  membership  grew  so 
large  that  it  was  necessary  to  enlarge  the  house  of  worship,  which  was 
completed  in  November  1874.  Mr.  Day  resigned  in  1876.  His  charge 
proved  to  be  a  turning  era  in  the  history  of  the  church.  After  Mr.  Day 
Rev.  Lansing  Burrows  settled  as  pastor  in  June  1876.  His  ministry 
renewed  the  prosperity  enjoyed  while  Mr.  Day  was  pastor.  In  the 
spring  of  1879,  he  resigned. 

The  next  six  years,  December  1880,  to  1886,  Rev.  H.  H.  Barbour 
was  pastor.  Almost  immediately  in  December,  1886,  that  great  helper 
of  needy  churches,  Rev.  S.  J.  Knapp  became  pastor  and  while  pastor 
for  four  years,  large  congregations  and  plenteous  prosperity  were 
enjoyed.  In  this  time,  the  meeting  house  was  partly  burned  up.  The 
damage  was  speedily  repaired  and  the  financial  loss  was  fully  met.  Mr. 
Knapp  closed  his  pastorate  in  February  1890.     The  next  June,  Rev. 


310  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

D.  T.  MacClaymont  entered  on  his  pastoral  fservice.  After  nearly 
six  years  of  successful  labor,  he  resigned,  at  the  end  of  1896.  Rev.  A. 
MacGeorge  followed  in  April  1897  and  now  (1900)  ministers  to  the 
church. 

Interests  at  home  and  abroad  are  cared  for.  The  house  of  worship 
has  been  renovated.  Two  missions  have  been  established,  one  of  which, 
Harrison,  begun  in  September  1868,  has  long  since  become  a  church. 
Another  at  Port  Morris,  where  a  missionary  is  in  charge,  who  has  been 
licensed  by  the  church.  Numerous  debts  have  been  paid  and  all 
indications  point  to  continued  prosperity.  A  colony  of  the  pastor  and 
twenty  members  with  other  Baptists  of  other  churches  went  out  in 
1886  to  form  the  Roseville  church. 

Besides  the  two  missionaries  employed  by  the  city  Mission  Society, 
nine  pastors  have  served  the  church.  The  North  church  has  grown 
into  an  efficient  helper  in  mission  enterprises  characteristic  of 
Newark.  Special  mention  is  due  to  J.  M.  Davies  and  H.  M.  Baldwin  of 
South  Newark  church  for  their  large  helpfulness  in  financial  needs  and 
for  their  council  and  cheer,  to  the  members  of  North  church. 

Fifth  Newark  Baptist  church  is  in  the  Fifth  Ward  and  is  therefore 
known  as  the  Fifth  Baptist  church.  Its  beginning  was  contemporary 
with  the  North  church.  The  Baptist  City  Mission  Society  started 
Sunday  Schools  in  both  wards  at  the  same  time  in  1852.  Rev.  C.  M. 
Waterhouse  was  put  in  charge  of  both  fields,  and  the  immense  work 
involved  in  his  labors  was  too  great  for  one  man.  His  health  failed 
and  he  retired.  Rev.  T.  G.  Wright  took  the  North  Ward  in  1853  and 
preached  in  the  Fifth  Ward  on  the  Lord's  Day  afternoon.  It  was, 
however,  decided  to  employ  Mr.  D.  T.  Morrill  for  the  Fifth  Ward  and  he 
was  ordained  on  March  23rd,  1854. 

Tokens  of  the  Divine  blessing  appeared  in  the  next  winter.  Fifty- 
six  Baptists,  thirty-one  members  of  the  First  church  and  twenty-five 
members  of  the  South  church,  united  and  agreed  to  constitute  the 
Fifth  church.  These  Baptists  pledged  five  hundred  dollars  toward  the 
support  of  a  pastor  and  on  the  23rd  of  March,  organized  the  church. 
On  the  first  Lord's  Day  of  the  meeting  of  the  new  church,  six  were 
baptized. 

In  August,  1855,  steps  were  taken  to  build  a  house  of  worship. 
Deacon  H.  M.  Baldwin  gave  two  lots  on  condition  that  a  meeting  house, 
costing  at  least  ten  thousand  dollars  should  be  built  and  paid  for.  An 
attempt  to  comply  with  these  conditions  was  made  at  once.  The 
City  Mission  Society  pledged  its  aid,  and  on  July  5th,  1857,  the  lecture 
room  was  dedicated.  A  work  of  grace  broke  out  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty-three  converts  were  baptized  into  the  church.     The  house  itself 


FIFTH    NEWARK  311 

was  dedicated  in  April  1858.  All  arrearages  on  the  cost  of  the  church 
edifice  were  paid  by  the  City  Mission  Society  in  January  1860  and 
Mr.  Baldwin  transferred  the  lots  to  the  church  with  the  payment  of  all 
claims  due  from  them,  the  church  assumed  its  own  support  and  since, 
has  done  its  part  in  co-operating  with  the  city  Mission  Society.  Mr. 
Morrill  closed  his  labors  on  the  field  in  October  1862;  resigning  to  be- 
come a  chaplain  in  the  Civil  War.  For  nine  years,  he  had  been  a 
faithful  missionary  and  pastor  and  his  labors  had  been  continuously 
accompanied  with  tokens  of  Divine  blessing.  His  resignation  was 
"laid  on  the  table"  until  the  time  of  his  chaplaincy  expired. 

In  1863,  he  was  called  back,  and  returned  to  his  charge.  Refresh- 
ings from  on  high,  sealed  his  return.  Within  two  years,  one  hundred 
and  twenty  converts  were  added  to  the  church.  A  parsonage  was  built 
in  1867  and  8.  Again  Mr.  Morrill  resigned  in  April  1869,  having  been 
called  West.  His  people  parted  with  their  only  pastor  with  great  grief, 
whose  ministry  for  fifteen  years,  had  been  signally  crowned  with  Divine 
blessing. 

In  the  next  June  1869,  Rev.  D.  C.  Hughes  became  pastor,  remain- 
ing till  1874.  Rev.  G.  A.  Simonson  followed  in  May  1874  and  served 
the  church  for  eight  years,  baptizing  while  pastor,  one  hundred  and 
forty-two  converts.  His  resignation  took  effect  in  April  1882.  A 
successor.  Rev.  H.  B.  Warring  settled  as  pastor  in  January  1883.  A 
debt  incurred  by  the  former  renovation  of  the  house  of  worship  was  a 
serious  burden.  Deacon  H.  M.  Baldwin  had  left  a  legacy  to  the  church, 
conditioned  upon  the  payment  of  the  debt,  within  a  given  time.  Col. 
Morgan  L.  Smith  of  the  South  church  assured  its  payment  by  subscribing 
one  thousand  dollars  toward  its  payment.  Mr.  Warring  held  the  pas- 
torate seyen  years,  closing  his  ministry  as  pastor  of  the  chruch  in  Feb- 
ruary 1891. 

In  1891  Rev.  C.  E.  Lapp  settled  as  pastor,  who  resigned  in  February 
1895.  Special  seasons  of  revival  were  enjoyed  while  Mr.  Lapp  was 
pastor  and  there  were  many  baptized  additions  to  the  church.  Three 
months  later,  Rev.  T.  A.  Hughes  entered  the  pastorate.  Needed 
repairs  were  done  on  the  meeting  house  and  a  spiritual  cheer  was  diffused 
on  church  and  congregation.  But  the  next  year,  a  change  came.  The 
pastor  removed  and  clouds  cast  shadows  upon  the  church.  An  im- 
provement occurred  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1898  under  the  temporary 
ministry  of  Rev.  C.  C.  Luther. 

In  February  1899,  Rev.  C.  F.  Stanley  became  pastor,  cheering 
indications  inspired  the  church  with  hope.  A  general  financial  crisis 
in  business  circles  had  passed  and  Newark  being  a  manufacturing  cen- 
ter was  sensitive  to  commercial  variations:  the  employment  or  non- 


312  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

employment   of    its   masses   affected   for  better  or  worse  its  masses. 

Seven  pastors  have  served  the  church  in  its  life  of  forty-five  years. 
Mr.  Morrill  the  first  pastor,  held  the  office  one  third  of  the  time.  Pastor 
Simonson,  eight  years;  Mr.  Warring,  seven  years;  the  two  included 
another  third  of  the  period.  One  member  has  been  licensed  to  preach, 
worshipping  first  in  a  hall.  One  meeting  house  has  been  erected 
and  if  the  renovations  and  enlargements  are  included  the  number 
may  be  said  to  be  two.  An  item  of  note  in  Newark  is  the 
large  number  of  men  of  ample  means,  loyal  to  Baptist  convictions  in 
the  First  and  South  churches  in  Newark;  chiefly  under  the  pastorate 
of  Rev.  H.  V.  Jones,  who  made  possible  the  gains,  through  the  Newark 
Baptist  City  Mission  Society.  The  influence  in  the  pulpits  to  draw 
and  hold  such  men  is  to  be  recognized  as  a  special  feature  of  Newark 
City  Mission  work. 

There  was  in  western  Newark,  an  empty  chapel  that  another 
denomination  had  used  for  mission  purposes.  A  member  of  the  Fifth 
church,  Samuel  Clark,  called  the  attention  of  his  pastor.  Rev.  Mr. 
Morrill  and  of  Pastor  Fish,  to  the  religious  need  of  the  locality  and  the 
opening  for  Baptists  in  the  unused  chapel.  Such  men  as  Pastors 
Morrill  and  Fish  only  needed  to  know  of  an  opening  for  work  for  Christ, 
to  enter  upon  it  at  once.  They  brought  the  matter  to  the  Board  of 
the  City  Mission  Society  and  they  immediately  investigated  the  con- 
ditions of  the  case.  Afternoon  meetings  were  begun  in  May  1859.  A 
Sunday  school  was  opened  on  the  next  Lord's  Day  and  preaching 
appointed  by  the  Baptist  pastors  of  the  City  in  the  afternoon. 

In  August  1859,  a  student,  Mr.  Charles  W.  Clark,  was  engaged  to 
preach,  whom  the  City  Mission  Board,  later  appointed  their  missionary. 
He  began  his  work  there,  that  fall  and  in  January  1860,  was  ordained. 
Converts  were  multiplied.  On  June  29th,  1860,  a  church  of  forty-four 
constituents  was  organized,  which  named  itself,  the  Fairmount  Baptist 
church.  Mr.  Clark  became  pastor.  A  work  of  grace  was  enjoyed  in 
the  winter  of  1860-61,  and  seventy-three  joined,  forty-eight  of  whom 
whom  were  baptized. 

The  growth  of  this  new  church  induced  the  Board  of  the  city 
Mission  Society  to  advise  them  to  build  a  larger  house  of  worship.  A 
more  central  site  was  bought  and  in  May  1867,  the  lecture  room  was 
opened.  That  year,  the  pastor  resigned  and  the  membership  that  had 
increased  from  forty-four  to  one  hundred  and  sixty,  were  left  at  a 
critical  period.  Since  his  coming  in  1859  to  67,  was  eight  years.  The 
succession  of  pastors  has  been:  W.  D.  Siegfried,  1868-70;  J.  D.  Barnes, 
1870-72;  H.  Angel,  1872-75;  J.  C.  Allen,  1875-79;  G.  F.  Warren,  1881-86; 
H.  F.  Barnes,  1887-92;  E.  J.  Millington,  1893-96;  C.  S.  Tinker,  1897-1904. 


FAIRMOUNT,  NEWARK,  AND  MOUNT  PLEASANT      313 

Mr.  Siegfried  lost  his  liealth  and  retired.  The  new  church  edifice 
was  dedicated  in  September  1868.  Mr.  Siegfried  and  Mr.  Barnes  were 
very  successful  in  winning  souls.  Mr.  Angel's  health  made  his  resig- 
nation necessary.  Mr.  Allen  also  was  eminently  useful.  Unity  and 
efficiency  were  restored  under  Mr.  Warren.  The  church  suffered  a 
great  trial  in  Mr.  Millington;  his  removal  was  essential  to  its  welfare 
and  his  name  has  disappeared  from  among  us.  A  great  change  in  the 
population  of  the  locality,  from  a  home  and  congenial  class,  to  one 
foreign  and  strange  in  its  sympathies  to  the  church,  came  in  at  this 
time.  Many  of  its  stanch  members  removed  elsewhere.  The  house 
of  worship  was  larger  than  was  needed  and  was  encumbered  with  a 
heavy  debt.  Besides  these  discouragements,  was  a  vacant  pastorate. 
Happily,  Rev.  G.  F.  Warren  became  pastor;  unity  was  restored-  the 
debt  was  paid  and  a  work  of  grace  enjoyed.  Amid  uninviting  and 
unfertile  surroundings.  Pastor  Warren  did  a  good  and  essential  work  in 
maintaining  the  church  from  extinction.       Mr.  Tinker  is  very  useful. 

An  unquestioning  faith  is  required  to  hold  fast  in  some  localities 
in  our  large  cities,  where  a  foreign  population  locates;  speaks  an  un- 
known tongue  and  is  alien  to  Protestant  and  American  ideas  and 
occupying  the  homes  to  which  we  had  free  access,  but  from  which  we 
are  excluded.  The  church  in  its  forty  years  of  life  has  had  nine  pastors 
and  with  a  single  exception,  good  and  true  men.  This  body  of  Bap- 
tists does  not  claim  maternity  of  either  of  its  sister  churches  in 
Newark;  but  relationship  to  all. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Baptist  City  Mission  Society,  in  November 

1865,  a  mission  for  the  eighth  ward  was  considered.  Brother  W.  S 
Hedenburg  made  a  statement  of  the  interests  there.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  buy  a  lot  for  a  chapel.     They  did  this  in  January 

1866,  and  in  the  next  November,  the  chapel  was  dedcated.  A  Sunday- 
school  wasbegun  in  December.  Rev.  C.  E.  Wilson  was  appointed  by 
the  Board  of  the  City  Mission  Society  to  the  new  field. 

In  November,  1867,  thirty-three  Baptists  were  constituted 
Mount  Pleasant  Baptist  church.  Twelve  were  members  of  the  First 
church,  twelve  of  the  North  church  and  others  of  distant  Baptist 
churches.  Mr.  Wilson  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  remained  as  mission- 
ary and  pastor  for  two  years.  Other  pastors  were:  Rev.  S.  Siegfried, 
from  1869  to  1872;  Rev.  William  Rollinson,  from  1872  to  1874;  Rev. 
B.  F.  Bowen  from  1875  to  1876;  G.  Guirey,  1876  to  1878,  who  welcomed 
many  converts;  Rev.  A.  B.  Woodward,  1879  to  83;  Rev.  F.  C.  A.  Jones, 
1883  to  1898. 

The  outlook  for  the  future  was  bright  and  it  led  to  an  outlay  far 
beyond  the  ability  of  the  church  and  involved  it  in  serious  financial 


314  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

difficulty;  the  nation  was  also  suffering  from  a  panic  that  cut  off  the 
resources  of  the  City  Mission  Society  and  other  denominations  had 
located  in  the  ward  and  built  attractive  houses  of  worship.  Their 
unattractive  chapel  put  the  church  at  great  disadvantage  and  the 
financial  depression  made  the  future  very  dark. 

In  1886,  however,  a  member  of  the  North  church,  Mrs.  Sarah  E. 
Morgan,  left  a  legacy  of  one  thousand  dollars  to  the  church  for  a  new 
house  of  worship.  Two  years  later,  1888,  the  chapel  property  was 
sold,  and  subscriptions  were  made  by  which  a  new  location  was  bought 
and  a  new  church  edifice  was  begun  in  July  1889  and  was  opened  for 
worship  in  October  1890.  These  events  transpired  in  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  F.  C.  A.  Jones.  But  despite  these  years  of  tax  upon  the  resources 
of  the  church,  there  was  a  surplus  in  the  treasury  for  current  expenses 
and  the  benevolent  gifts  were  the  largest  in  the  past  history  of  the 
church. 

Two  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach  and  two  women  have 
gone  one  to  the  West  and  the  other  to  Burma,  on  mission  work.  Two 
missions  were  established,  one  on  "Prospect  Hill,"  where  a  chapel  was 
built,  and  a  church  is  organized.  Another,  known  as  "The  Garside 
Mission,"  where  also  a  chapel  was  built.  Pastor  Jones  resigned  in 
1898,  having  served  the  church  more  than  fourteen  years.  In  Decem- 
ber 1898,  Rev.  E.  A"  Hainer  became  pastor,  and  is  now  (1900)  pastor. 
The  church  has  had  eight  pastors.  It  has  had  two  meeting  houses. 
Two  chapels  were  also  built,  one  for  each  of  the  missions. 

For  the  origin  of  the  Clinton  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  we  quote  from 
The  History  of  the  Newark  Baptist  City  Mission  Society:  "In  the  spring 
of  1800,  members  of  the  Fifth  Church  canvassed  the  tenth  ward  to 
gather  children  into  their  Sunday  school."  They  were  affected  by  the 
moral  waste  they  met  and  were  led  to  devise  ways  for  its  remedy. 
Accordingly,  they  hired  a  small  room  in  a  private  house  and  on  May 
27th,  1860,  opened  a  Sunday-school.  Eight  scholars  were  present. 
When  the  school  was  closed,  the  teachers  remained  for  prayer.  The 
hour  for  which  the  room  was  hired  having  pas.sed,  they  went  to  the 
street  and  under  the  shade  of  a  tree,  elected  officers.  An  increase  of 
number  made  necessary  another  room.  Other  helpers  from  the  South 
church  offered  their  services.  At  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  City  Mis- 
sion Board,  the  mission  was  reported  to  be  approved;  to  secure  funds 
for  its  support  and  put  it  under  the  supervision  of  the  Board. 

The  influence  of  the  school  was  seen  in  the  personal  cleanliness  of 
the  scholars  and  the  good  order  of  the  vicinity.  Sabbath  breaking  and 
other  forms  of  evil  diminished  and  souls  were  converted.  The  lowly 
accommodations  of  the  Mission  limited  its  usefulness.     But  the  laborers 


CLINTON  AVENUE,  NEWARK  315 

in  it,  pressed  its  claims  on  the  Board.  At  length,  Deacon  H.  M.  Bald- 
win of  the  South  church  bought  the  house  in  which  the  school  was  held 
and  also,  the  adjoining  lots  and  gave  to  the  Board  of  Missions  so  much 
of  the  property  as  was  needed  for  a  chapel,  adding  a  large  sum  for  the 
chapel.  Other  collections  were  made  and  the  chapel  was  dedicated  in 
July  1864. 

Preaching  was  begun  on  the  Lord's  Day  morning  and  the  day 
devoted  to  religious  service.  Social  meetings  were  also  held  in  week 
evenings.  Mr.  Samuel  Baxter,  who  had  been  active  at  the  mission, 
was  a  member  of  the  South  church  and  was  licensed  by  that  body  to 
preach.  The  City  Mission  Society  appointed  him  to  that  field  and 
appropriated  five  hundred  dollars  to  carry  on  the  work  for  a  year. 

On  the  eighth  of  March  1868,  the  Pilgrim  Baptist  church  was 
constituted  with  twenty-eight  members  of  the  South  church,  five 
of  the  Fifth  church  and  two  of  the  Fairmount  church,  in  all  thirty-five. 
Mr.  Baxter  was  pastor  until  1870.  Active  in  the  mission  and  as  pastor 
about  eight  to  ten  years.  In  1870,  Mr.  McGonegal  ministered  to  the 
church. 

The  location  of  the  chapel  was  a  hindrance  to  the  church.  A 
foreign  element  had  occupied  the  vicinity  and  the  native  population 
were  leaving.  The  Pilgrim  church  changed  its  place  and  built  a  new 
church  edifice  on  Sherman  avenue,  near  to  a  Baptist  Mission.  The 
union  of  the  two  interests  was  effected  and  the  Pilgrim  church  changed 
its  name  on  December  28th,  1871  to  Sherman  avenue  Baptist  church. 
Rev.  F.  Johnson  settled  as  pastor  in  May  1872,  from  which  he  retired 
in  May  1875. 

In  February  1877,  Mr.  A.  W.  Bourne  became  actively  pastor.  He 
had  been  called  nine  months  previously,  but  illness  detained  him.  In 
the  meantime,  the  church  obtained  a  supply,  paid  his  salary  and  that 
of  the  supply.  On  Mr.  Bourne's  return,  he  was  ordained  in  April  1877. 
Pastor  Bourne  served  the  church  eight  years  and  was  followed  by  Rev. 
F.  E.  Osborne  in  March  1885,  remaining  till  March  1889. 

In  1888,  an  agitation  arose  for  a  change  of  location  and  lots  were 
bought  on  Clinton  Avenue.  Rev.  B.  D.  Hahn  is  reported  to  be  pastor 
in  1891.  Measures  anticipating  the  new  house  of  worship  occupied 
the  people  during  Pastor  Halm's  short  term.  Closing  early  in  1893, 
his  labors  are  referred  to  as  very  acceptable.  On  September  1st,  1893, 
Rev.  J.  B.  L'Hommedieu  entered  the  pastorate.  The  building  of  the 
new  sanctuary  engaged  the  interest  of  the  church  as  of  chief  moment. 
The  lecture  and  Sunday  schools  were  occupied  in  1896  and  the  audience 
room  in  1897.  A  change  of  location  involved  a  change  of  name  to  that 
of  Clinton  Avenue.     By  this  second  pilgrimage  it  is  hoped  the  church 


316  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

has  reached  the  "Promised  Land."  However,  in  a  growing  city,  there 
is  no  assurance  that  any  location  is  abiding.  At  the  end  of  the  year 
1899,  Pastor  L'Hommedieu  terminated  his  charge  of  the  church,  which 
was  more  than  seven  years.  Only  shorter  than  that  of  Mr.  Bourne. 
Why  each  had  not  been  longer  is  an  unsolved  enigma. 

Clinton  Avenue  church  has  thus  had  three  names,  three  houses  of 
worship,  eight  pastors,  of  whom  Mr.  Bourne  remained  longest,  eight 
years. 

A  natural  succession  to  the  history  of  the  North  Baptist  church  of 
Newark,  is  that  of  Roseville  Baptist  church.  Not  that  it  was  an 
exclusive  gift  of  the  North  church  to  the  world  and  to  its  native  city. 
Since  nearly  as  many  constituents  were  from  other  Baptist  churches  in 
Newark,  as  from  the  North  church.  But  that  body  spared  at  least  half 
of  them,  yielded  its  pastor,  Rev.  G.  E.  Horr  and  his  family  to  become 
pastor  of  Roseville.  Pastor  Horr  was  universally  beloved.  He  and 
his  companion  were  a  "host"  of  themselves,  bringing  with  them  assur- 
ance, fitness,  wisdom,  strength  and  influence. 

Few  young  churches  could  have  secured  a  pastor  more  eminent  for 
choice  gifts  of  mind,  character  and  piety.  Roseville  could  well  con- 
gratulate itself,  both  upon  their  pastor,  and  on  an  appreciative  people 
amid  whom  they  were  located.  No  less,  also,  in  having,  as  they  say: 
"The  business  ability  of  D.  M.  Wilson,  President  of  the  New  Jersey 
Baptist  State  Convention,  also  of  the  Board  of  Peddle  Institute  and 
prince  of  Newark  Baptist  working  men."  Companies  of  Baptists, 
resident  in  the  district  of  which  Ro-seville  church  was  a  center. 

Baptists  had  been  maintaining  cottage  prayer  meetings.  An 
unexpected  of  two  of  these  bands  at  one  place,  led  to  a  concert  and  to 
the  establishing  of  a  Sunday  school  and  to  preaching.  These  services 
lasted  eight  months  until  March  26th,  1871.  On  that  day  the  Sunday 
school  and  congregation  were  locked  out  of  their  place  of  meeting. 
After  a  street  prayer  meeting,  the  Presbyterians  of  the  vicinity  offered 
the  Baptists  the  use  of  their  chapel;  even  changing  the  hours  of  their 
service  to  accommodate  their  Baptist  friends.  This  arrangement 
continued  for  six  months.  Evincing  thus,  the  verity  of  Christian 
sympathy.  In  the  meantime,  ground  had  been  bought  by  the  city 
Mission  Board  and  funds  collected  to  build  a  place  of  worship. 

On  October  18th,  1872,  the  Roseville  Baptist  church  was  organized 
with  forty-four  constituents.  The  services  being  in  the  meetig  house 
of  the  North  Baptist  church.  Rev.  Mr.  Horr,  previously  pastor  of  the 
North  Baptist  church  at  once  became  pastor  and  when  he  resigned,  six 
years  after,  the  membership  had  increased  to  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
four. 


ROSEVILLE  AND  HARRISON  317 

The  succession  of  pastors  since  has  been:  J.  E.  Gault,  December 
3,  1887  to  December  31,  1881.  A.  J.  Steelman,  Jamiary  27th,  1882  to 
1887;  C.  M.  Brink,  1888-1891.  Supplies  ministered  until  the  settle- 
ment of  Rev.  A.  P^oster,  July  1st,  1892.  Mr.  Foster  is  now  (1904) 
pastor.  The  church  has  grown  into  a  large  and  efficient  body  where 
many  worship  and  are  glad. 

In  later  years,  a  mission  Sunday  school  has  usually  born  the  fruit 
of  an  organized  church,  when  established  in  a  community  where  there 
was  room  for  a  Baptist  church.  It  was  so  with  the  Mission  Sunday 
school  planted  in  Harrison.  Harrison  lay  across  the  river  from  Newark. 
The  river  being  the  boundary  of  the  corporate  limits  of  Newark.  Al- 
though thus  separated  from  the  city,  Harrison  was  really  a  suburb  of 
Newark  and  naturally  a  mission  field  of  its  Baptist  churches.  Mr. 
Burton  was  a  member  of  the  North  church  and  looking  for  a  field  to  do 
good  in.  Harrison  caught  his  attention  as  affording  room  for  a  mission 
Sunday  school.  Halls,  were  not  to  be  had,  but  finding  a  room  in  a 
factory,  he  got  consent  to  use  it,  and  in  September  1868,  started  a 
Sunday  school  there. 

Mr.  Hagell  of  the  same  church  succeeded  Mr.  Burton  in  the  super- 
intendency  and  he  was  followed  by  Mr.  Peloubet  in  charge  of  the  school. 
An  explanation  of  these  changes  is  not  given,  nor  is  one  needed.  The 
mission  was  in  the  hands  of  good  men,  who  care  most  of  all  to  do  good, 
at  any  needed  cost  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  those  whom  they  would 
uplift  and  save.  Growth  made  it  necessary  to  build  a  chapel  and  G.  W. 
Lawrence  of  the  first  church  became  superintendent,  indicating  the 
interest  of  the  Newark  City  Mission  Society  in  the  mission  at  Harrison. 
In  1884,  Mr.  Lawrence  asked  his  pastor.  Rev.  E.  G.  Taylor,  to  find  a 
missionary  for  Harrison  and  he  sent  a  student,  J.  E.  Beach.  Mr. 
Beach  could  spare  only  his  vacations  on  the  field,  but  continuous  labor 
had  become  necessary  and  upon  insistence  Mr.  Beach  consented  to  be 
present  each  Lord's  Day  and  hold  evening  service. 

The  organization  of  a  church  forced  itself  upon  the  men  and  women 
at  work  on  the  field  and  on  October  10th,  1886,  a  council  met  and 
advised  the  organization  of  a  church  in  Harrison.  There  were  fourteen 
constituents.  A  neat  building  was  erected  and  dedicated  in  May  1888. 
Mr.  Beach  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained  on  June  17th,  1889. 
His  health  compelled  him  to  resign  in  March  1894.  Returning  from 
the  West  apparently  restored,  consumption  closed  his  work  at  Harrison 
in  1897,  having  spent  thirteen  years  on  the  field  to  which  he  had  come 
in  1884,  and  upon  which  he  had  been  most  useful. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Dudley  was  pastor  for  six  months  from  June  1st,  1894, 
In  January  1895,  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  Robert  Holmes,   (1900) 


318  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

entered  on  his  duties.  Enlargement  of  the  meeting  house  was  needful 
and  the  work  was  accomplished  in  the  fall  of  1896  and  paid  for  within 
a  few  dollars.  This  young  interest  has  had  but  little  financial  help 
from  abroad  and  maintains  itself. 

In  July  1892,  Rev.  O.  Von  Barchwitz  of  the  South  church,  Newark, 
began  a  mission  at  Fairmount  Avenue.  It  had  unwonted  prosperity. 
"A  tent  sufficed  temporarily  for  worship,  when,  on  account  of  the 
season  it  was  necessary,  a  building  was  secured,  into  which  the  mission 
service  was  removed  on  October  1st.  On  the  23rd  of  December  1892, 
the  Tabernacle  Baptist  church  was  organized  with  supposedly  forty-nine 
constituents  to  which  twenty-five  were  added  by  ]:)aptism  and  eleven  by 
letter  and  within  six  months  had  increased  to  eighty-five  members. 
They  had  amission  elsewhere  in  Newark,  to  which  an  industrial  depart- 
ment was  attached  and  in  which  fallen  men  and  prisoners  released  from 
jails  are  employed.  They  employ  eighteen  people;  two  trained  women 
missionaries  are  constantly  engaged.  All  the  money  for  the  support  of 
the  enterprise  comes  from  voluntary  contributions.  Lots  are  bought 
and  paid  for  on  which  to  build  a  church  edifice." 

This  is  a  remarkable  record,  illustrating  how  much  can  be  accom- 
plished when  the  heart  is  set  on  it.  In  1894,  the  church  property  is 
reported  to  be  valued  at  ten  thousand  dollars  and  an  arrearage  of  four 
thousand  dollars.  During  the  winter  of  1893,  and  4,  the  church  had 
provided,  seven  thousand,  two  hundred  lodgings  and  three  thousand, 
eight  hundred  meals  for  the  needy.  Later  the  church  suffered  with  others 
in  the  financial  crisis,  which  cut  off  their  resources.  The  pastor  resigned 
in  1895  or  6.  Rev.  O.  Von  Barchwitz'  plans  and  ideas  were  not  con- 
genial to  some  and  involved  a  cost  not  wholly  approved. 

Rev.  W.  W.  Ludwig  followed  in  1896,  remaining  about  two  years, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  E.  Harris,  who  is  now  (1900)  pastor. 
There  have  been  three  pastors  since  the  organization  of  the  church. 
A  house  of  worship,  it  is  supposed,  has  been  built.  The  church  has 
been  conducted  on  some  European  plan  of  special  adaption  of  ministry 
to  the  needy  and  dependent.. 

Data  of  Emanuel  church,  Newark,  is  very  meagre.  It  was  organ- 
ized in  1894.  Associational  digests  give  but  little  information  of  its 
origin,  agency  and  outlook.  Its  first  pastor  is  only  kno^vn  by  allusion 
to  his  death.  Rev.  H.  G.  Mason,  who,  it  is  said,  died  while  pastor. 
They  occupied  their  own  meeting  house  in  1895.  Whether  encumbered 
with  debt  or  not  is  not  stated.  In  1896,  the  membership  was  eighty- 
five,  almost  double  that  of  1895.  Their  pastor  then,  was  Rev.  W.  G. 
Thomas.  Mr.  Thomas  resigned  in  1898,  having  had  a  useful  pastorate 
of  two  years.     After  Mr.  Thomas,  was  Mr.  E.  O.  Wilson,  who  preached 


EMANUEL  319 

for  them  while  a  student  and  was  welcomed  to  be  pastor  after  gradu- 
ating in   1899,  and  is  now  (1900)  ministering  to  the  church. 

There  are  in  Newark,  two  German  Baptist  churches  and  five 
Afro- American  churches,  in  all,  seventeen  Baptist  churches.  The 
First  German  was  organized  in  1849;  the  second  German  in  1875;  of 
the  Afro-American  Bethany  was  organized  1871;  Mt.  Zion,  1878; 
Galilee,  1896;  Bethsaida,  1898  and  Christian  Tabernacle,  1895. 


i$m 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


SAMPTOWN,  PLAINFIELD  AND   NEW   MARKET   CHURCHES 


As  earl}'  as  1666,  New  Englanders  emigrated  to  a  tract  of  country 
lying  between  Rahwa}'  and  the  Raritan  river,  including  the  section  in 
and  around  Samptown.  The  motive  of  this  emigration  was  to  get 
away  from  the  intolerance  and  persecution  of  the  "church  order"  of 
New  England,  especially  that  of  Massachusetts  and  of  Connecticut. 
A  motive  of  coming  to  New  Jersey  was  the  guarantee  in  this  province 
of  unrestricted  freedom  in  religion  and  of  political  opinions.  Pro- 
vision for  education  was  also  in  advance  of  all  other  American  colonies. 
The  first  free  school  on  the  continent  wfts  in  New  Jersey  and  ordained 
by  its  Governor. 

The  West  India  Company  of  Holland,  chartered  in  1629,  enjoined 
on  their  colonists  here  and  in  New  York  State ''in  the  speediest  manner 
to  find  out  ways  and  means  whereby  they  might  support  a  minister  and 
a  school  master."  Quite  unlike  the  "English  East  India  Company" 
which  forbade  missionaries  to  enter  their  territory  or  to  distribute 
Bibles  in  them,  compelled  Carey  to  be  clerk  and  drove  Judson  to  the 
protection  of  a  heathen  King.  The  "Friends"  (Quakers)  built  first 
a  meeting  house  and  built  a  school  house  adjoining  it.  These  early 
settlers  were  largely  Baptists,  as  the  rolls  of  Piscataway,  Scotch  Plains 
and  Samptown  plainly  show. 

In  1742,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  at  Scotch  Plains,  which 
mitigated  the  inconvenience  of  those  who  were  far  distant.  A  house 
of  worship  was  built  at  Samptown  in  1792.  Twenty-one  members  of 
Scotch  Plains  were  dismissed  in  August  of  1792  to  constitute  the  Samp- 
town church.  Supplies  ministered  tiU  the  fall  of  1793,  when  Rev.  J. 
Fitz  Randolph  became  pastor  for  half  the  time.  Mr.  Randolph  was  a 
native  of  Samptown.  An  older  brother  was  a  "ruling  elder"  (a  custom 
of  some  early  Baptist  churches)  and  a  younger  brother  wiis  a  physician 
and  a  deacon  of  the  church.  Mr.  Randolph  was  called  annually  until 
1798;  when  he  was  chosen  "permanent  pastor  as  long  as  was  mutually 
agreeable."     He  was  pastor  till  1818,  almost  twenty-five  years. 

The  meeting  house  was  enlarged  in  1812  and  in  that  year  R.  F. 
Randolph,  M.  D.,  the  pastor's  brother,  was  ordained.  The  pastor  was 
the  means  of  the  conversion  of  many.  At  nearly  every  church  meeting 
for  thirteen  years,  some  were  added  by  baptism.     Fifty-three  adults 


SAMPTcnVN  321 

were  baptized  in  1808.  On  October  7th,  1818,  Mr.  Randolph  notified 
the  church  that  his  pastorate  would  close  on  November  1st.  At  the 
same  time  he  asked  for  letters  of  dismission  for  himself  and  thirty-one 
others  to  form  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Plainfield.  Mr.  Randolph 
had  been  baptized  and  licensed  at  Scotch  Plains,  where  he  was  a  deacon. 
He  was  one  of  the  most  useful  of  men.  His  career  of  blessing  is  written 
in  connection  with  histories  of  Samptown  and  first  Plainfield  of  both 
of  which  he  was  the  first  pastor. 

The  outgoing  of  the  pastor  with  a  colony  resulted  in  Rev.  Leljcous 
Latlirop  settled  as  pastor  on  February  14th,  1819  at  a  salary  of  tAvo 
hundred  fifty  dollars  per  annum  and  his  firewood.  In  the  meantime, 
the  meeting  house  was  repaired,  enlarged  and  another  stove  put  in  it. 
On  the  4th  of  March,  1840,  Mr.  Lathrop  having  been  pastor  twenty-one 
years  and  then  seventy-nine  years  old,  resigned.  Even  though  so  old, 
his  people  protested  against  his  retirement. 

Mr.  Lathrop  had  come  from  an  earlier  era,  in  which  hyper-  Cal- 
vinism was  dominant.  He  had  the  courage  of  his  convictions,  but  did 
not  know  that  his  day  was  a  period  of  change  from  the  radicalism  of 
high-toned  Calvinism  to  that  more  tempered  offer  of  the  Gospel,  which 
called  sinners  to  "repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  He  did  not  accept  the  doctrine  of  the  great  sermon  of  Pastor 
Holcombe  on  the  "attainableness  of  faith"  with  which  Mr.  Holcombe 
had  startled  the  Baptist  world  of  his  times. 

The  caste  of  Mr.  Lathrop  maj'  be  known  by  these  incidents,  which 
the  writer  has  verified.  The  pastor,  who  followed  him,  visited  him  in 
his  illness,  before  his  death  and  asked:  "If  he  was  consciously  ready  for 
the  change  so  near?"  Turning  his  keen  black  eyes  on  the  questioner,  he 
sharply  exclaimed:  "Do  you  think  I  have  been  preaching  the  Gospel 
for  fifty  years  and  don't  know  where  I  am  going  when  I  am  dying?" 
Assurance  is  a  characteristic  of  such  men.  Being  an  extreme  Calvinist, 
a  young  minister  preached  for  him  and  expressed  liberal  ideas.  Asking 
Mr.  Lathrop  to  pray  after  the  sermon,  whereupon  he  said  in  a  loud 
voice:  "Pray  for  your  own  stuff."  A  young  pastor  was  preaching  at 
an  Association.  Mr.  Lathrop  was  in  the  pulpit,  rising  he  said  to  the 
preacher:  "Stop!  Sit  down!  and  called  to  Pastor  R.  next  to  Mr.  W.: 
"Come  up  here  and  finish  this  sermon."  Each  declined;  then  Mr. 
Lathrop  said:  "I  will  do  it  myself."  Still  there  was  in  Mr.  Lathrop  a 
residuum  of  lowly  piety,  which  despite  his  stern  ideas  of  truth,  con- 
formed him  to  the  mind  of  the  Son  of  God. 

These  facts  illustrate  the  bitterness  of  opposition  to  men  of  the 
stamp  of  Zelotes  Crenelle,  G.  S.  Webb,  the  Teasdales,  Barrass  brothers, 
M.  J.  Rheese,  J.  M.  Challis,  C.  Bartolette,  John  Rogers,  Peter  Wilson  and. 


322  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

a  host  of  men  raised  up  in  the  missionary  era,  who  endured  the  ex- 
travagance of  good  men,  rather  than  drive  them  into  Antinomianism, 
which  then  threatened  to  sweep  the  state;  men  who  by  a  quiet  Christian 
influence  shut  the  Antinomian  tendencies  into  narrowing  bounds.  Only 
those  who  have  gone  through  the  fire  can  have  any  conception  of  the 
worth  of  the  men  who  saved  our  churches  from  the  on  coming  flood. 

There  is  a  vast  difference  in  the  men  and  in  their  preaching,  seventy 
years  ago,  and  in  the  men  and  in  their  preaching  of  to-day.  Not  in 
brains,  nor  moral  stamina  nor  spirituality.  It  is  only  evil  to  impeach 
the  integrity  and  piety  of  the  men  of  to-day  or  of  those  of  former  times, 
by  comparisons  injurious  to  either.  We  esteem  alike,  those  whose 
memories  come  to  us  from  amid  the  shadows  of  the  past  and  our  own 
associates,  with  them,  as  with  us,  there  are  wide  differences  in  person- 
alities and  in  associations.  It  is  perhaps,  natural  for  us,  familiar  with 
the  wider  thinking,  the  larger  speech  and  the  free  dealing  with  the 
standards  of  truth,  an  outgrowth  of  our  free  institutions,  to  be  pessi- 
mistic in  our  opinions  of  our  contemporaries.  In  the  former  age,  men 
had  a  positiveness  of  doctrinal  conviction;  an  absoluteness  in  their 
assurance  of  Divine  truth;  boldness  in  the  assertion  of  denominational 
belief,  a  sui  Genesis  of  character  that  showed  them  self-poised  and  not 
ashamed  if  called  bigots,  if  they  insisted  on  the  limitation  of  opinions 
to  the  Bible  and  yet  none  more  sternly  asserted  the  absolute  right  of 
every  one  to  the  unmolested  enjoyment  of  his  own  opinions  of  truth 
and  of  duty.  It  is  not  claimed  that  the  many  sects  in  the  centuries 
since  Pentecost  were  Baptists  because  they  had  adopted  our  view 
of  the  mode  and  subjects  of  baptism;  but  it  is  insisted  that  they  recog- 
nized the  Scriptures  as  the  only  authority  for  a  religious  duty  and  for 
an  article  of  faith  and  also  that  it  was  their  distinction  to  claim  the 
right  of  men  and  women  to  their  opinions  and  to  disseminate  them. 

Rev.  E.  M.  Barker  followed  Mr.  Lathrop  in  about  a  year.  Pastor 
Barker's  settlement  was  most  suitable.  Kind,  patient,  "sound  in 
the  faith."  Prosperity  attended  him  and  his  ministry  in  the  eight  years 
he  was  pastor.  In  a  special  work  of  grace  he  baptized  one  hundred 
and  the  church  was  responsive  to  every  good  cause  despite  Mr.  Becbe's 
influence.  Mr.  Barker  had  fanciful  notions  of  home  amusements. 
Once  he  came  upon  a  mother  amusing  her  flock  of  little  ones  with  croquet 
balls  and  checkers,  affording  them  pleasure  and  herself  relief.  Months 
later  he  alluded  to  that  mother  as  training  her  children  for  evil.  At 
the  earliest  moment  after  that  sermon,  he  hasted  to  the  rear  of  the 
church  edifice  and  lighted  his  pipe\  None  of  us  are  perfect  and  some 
of  us  are  inconsistent  though  with  the  best  intentions.  When  Mr. 
Barker  had  resigned,  Rev,  W.  D.  Hires  followed. 


SAMPTOWN  AND  FIRST  PLAINFIELD  323 

Again  the  church  had  a  renewal  of  their  experience  with  tlieir 
first  pastor.  Pastor  Hires  and  a  number  of  members  constituted  the 
New  Market  church  in  March  1852,  with  fifty  members  and  built  a 
house  of  worship  which  they  occupied  in  1854. 

Samptown  church  called  Rev.  William  Maul  in  1853,  who  remained 
until  1858.  The  succession  of  pastors  was:  J.  J.  Baker,  1858-68;  C.  G. 
Gurr  removed  after  several  months'  stay;  S.  L.  Cox,  1869-71;  W.  H. 
Burlew,  1873-78;  was  ordained.  The  location  of  the  meeting  house 
was  such  that  first  Plainfield  and  New  Market  churches  reduced  the 
congregations  so  seriously  that  disbanding  or  removal  to  a  central 
place  was  a  question  of  life.  In  1876,  it  was  decided  to  remove  the 
church  edifice  to  New  Brooklyn. 

In  August  1878,  Rev.  A.  Armstrong  became  pastor.  A  spark 
from  a  passing  engine  on  a  near  by  railroad,  kindled  a  fire  and  the 
house  of  worship  was  burned.  A  beautiful  house  of  worship  was 
built  in  a  village  of  New  Brooklyn,  entirely  free  from  debt  and  was 
dedicated  in  January  1880.  Congregations  were  renewed.  The 
Samptown  church  took  a  new  departure.  A  parsonage  was  built  in 
18S1  and  the  name  of  the  church  changed  to  New  Brooklyn.  Mr. 
Armstrong  resigned  in  December  1890. 

The  name  of  the  church  was  again  changed  to  South  Plainfield  in 
1891-3,  and  Rev.  E  Thompson  settled  as  pastor  in  1891-95.  Toward 
the  end  of  1895,  Rev.  J.  A.  Cubbcrley  became  pastor  and  is  now  (1904) 
ministering  as  pastor.  A  neighboring  city  has  absorbed  the  church, 
but  it  is  no  less  a  vigorous  body.  Its  loss  of  strength  was  not  by  ex- 
haustion but  by  giving.  The  going  out  of  two  strong  colonies  had 
the  full  assent  of  those  who  remained  to  bear  added  burdens.  How 
many  meeting  houses  Samptown  has  had  part  in  is  not  known.  Not 
less  than  four.  As  many  as  three  members  have  been  licensed  to 
preach.  Twelve  pastors  have  served  the  church.  The  first  for  twenty- 
five  years;  the  second,  twenty-one  years.  Two  colonies  have  become 
strong  and  influential  bodies,  first  Plainfield  and  New  Market. 

Baptist  families  identified  with  Piscataway  and  Scotch  Plains 
churches  distributed  themselves  far  and  wide  and  impressed  their 
faith  upon  people  far  from  their  home  centers  and  Baptists  were  numer- 
ous in  many  rural  districts  and  in  the  later  centers  of  population. 
First  Plainfield  instances  this.  Pastors  of  these  churches  were  men  of 
large  mould  and  made  a  lasting  impression  wherever  they  appeared. 
In  a  country  so  new,  instead  of  villages  and  towns,  settlements  took 
their  place.  The  first  house  built  in  Plainfield,  was  in  1735,  amid 
Indian  wigwams.  At  the  organization  of  the  First  Baptist  church, 
in  1818,  there  were  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  residents  in  the  place. 


324  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Samptown,  a  Baptist  settlement,  was  more  or  less  two  miles  away  and 
a  convenient  locality  for  a  Baptist  church. 

In  1812,  Baptist  families  in  Plainfield  met  for  worship  in  their 
homes.  But  an  Academy  was  built  that  year  and  Baptists  worshipped 
in  a  hall  there  for  several  years.  Rev.  Mr.  Randolph,  pastor  of  Samp- 
town church  lived  in  Plainfield.  A  meeting  was  called  at  the  hall,  in 
January  1818,  to  discuss  the  organization  of  a  Baptist  church.  They 
decided  to  constitute  a  Baptist  church.  A  subscription  was  made  and 
nearly  twenty-five  hundred  dollars  pledged  for  a  meeting  house.  Dur- 
ing the  next  summer,  1818,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  on  the  site 
where  the  first  Baptist  church  is  now,  and  later  it  was  decided  that 
certain  members  of  the  Samptown  Baptist  church  be  allowed  to  occupy 
it  and  the  house  was  dedicated  at  the  end  of  October,  or  beginning 
of  November.  Baptists  dismissed  from  Samptown  and  Piscataway 
met  at  the  home  of  Rev.  J.  F.  Randolph  on  November  7th,  and  con- 
stituted the  first  Baptist  church  of  Plainfield.  Rev.  Mr.  Randolph, 
pastor  of  Samptown  church  was  elected  pastor.  At  a  later  meeting 
November  25th,  1818,  the  church  was  dul}^  recognized.  In  December 
the  salary  of  Mr.  Randolph  was  fixed  at  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
per  annum. 

The  constituents  numbered  thirty-four.  The  growth  of  the  church 
was  slow.  Its  increase  was  but  to  forty-one  to  1819,  and  in  1822, 
reported  fifty-two  members.  Mr.  Randolph  died  January  18,  1828, 
having  been  laid  aside  the  year  before,  with  paralysis.  When  licensed 
to  preach  he  was  thirty-five  years  old  and  when  he  became  pastor  at 
Plainfield,  was  sixtj'-two  years  old  and  was  pastor  for  nearly  ten  years, 
till  he  was  seventy-two  years  old,  and  left  the  memory  of  a  good 
name  and  the  fruits  of  a  devoted  life. 

Rev.  D.  T.  Hill  became  pastor  in  August  1828,  resigning  aft«r 
eleven  years,  in  1839.  Mr.  Hill  was  an  aggressive  preacher.  Strangers 
knew  that  he  was  a  Baptist.  The  people  appreciated  a  man  of  con- 
victions. The  house  was  packed  and  converts  knew  what  they  were 
converted  from  and  what  to.  Under  his  charge,  the  church  increased 
to  two  hundred  and  seventy-four  members.  A  Sunday  school  was 
established  in  the  second  year  of  Mr.  Hill's  charge  (1829),  to  which 
many  members  objected  as  an  innovation  on  the  estalslished  means  of 
grace.  The  house  was  enlarged  and  yet  too  small.  In  1837,  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  were  baptized  and  the  first  Plainfield  Baptist  church  be- 
came the  foremost  church  in  numbers  and  in  influence  in  the  town  in 
which  it  was. 

In  May  1839,  Rev.  S.  J.  Drake  was  called.  He  began  his  pastoral 
care  in  August  1839.     Special  seasons  of  religious  interest  frequently 


FIRST  PLAINFIELD  AND  SECOND  PLAINFIELD       325 

occurred  under  his  ministry  of  twenty-three  years.  The  house  of 
worship  was  enlarged  and  vastly  improved.  Pastor  Drake  was  called 
from  active  business  life  into  the  ministry.  True,  while  he  lacked 
book  knowledge  and  the  training  of  a  college,  he  had  the  Bible,  and 
more,  the  teaching  of  the  Divine  Spirit.  Converts  were  constantly 
added  to  the  church.  The  wavering  were  stayed;  the  unlearned  were 
taught;  mission  schools  were  established.  Pastor  Drake  was  a  blessing 
to  all,  in  his  personal  life,  his  ministry  and  by  his  business  habits,  until 
"God  took  him"  in  April,  1862.  Mention  of  Mr.  Drake's  duties  of 
Secretary  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  for  fourteen 
years  ought  not  to  be  overlooked.  He  brought  to  this  office  the  busi- 
ness tact  and  judgement  that  characterized  the  man  in  all  departments 
of  his  life  and  of  his  pastoral  affairs. 

A  year  passed  till  a  new  pastor  was  chosen,  D.  J.  Yerkes,  who 
entered  on  his  duties  in  the  fall  of  1863  and  retained  his  pastorate  till 
and  later  than  1900.  Shortly  after  Mr.  Yerkes  settled,  a  new  sanctuary 
became  a  necessity.  Accordingly,  the  lot  or  ground  on  which  it  must 
be  located  was  arranged  for  its  accommodation,  and  the  new 
house  of  praise  was  begun  and  completed  and  was  dedicated  on  Nov- 
ember 25th  1869.  The  edifice,  sixty  by  one  hundred  feet  of  Roman- 
esque architectural  design  and  costing  seventy-five  thousand  dollars, 
constitutes  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  complete  church  edifices  in 
the  state. 

The  church  beginning  with  thirty-four  members,  numbers  now, 
nearly  one  thousand  members.  Pastor  Yerkes  to  1900  has  with  un- 
flinching fidelity,  maintained  for  thirty-seven  years,  the  position 
of  his  church  as  foremost  in  the  city  and  is,  himself,  deservedl)' 
revered  and  honored  in  all  the  churches  and  by  all  of  the  Baptist  pastors 
and  ministers  in  the  state.  A  most  remarkable  fact  of  first  Plainfield, 
is  that  it  has  been  eighty-two  years  since  it  was  founded  and  yet,  that 
it  has  had  only  four  pastors.  The  shortest  term  was  ten  years  and 
closed  with  the  death  of  the  pastor  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 
The  second  pastor  served  the  church  eleven  years.  The  third  pastor 
closed  his  labors  at  death  in  1862  and  the  fourth,  lasting  almost  forty 
years.  Two  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use.  Repeated  enlarge- 
ments and  amendments  were  made  to  the  first  meeting  house.  Of 
the  first  pastor  it  is  due  to  state  that  he  had  mini.stered  in  Plainfield 
for  some  time  before  the  constitution  of  the  church.  How  long  is  not 
known. 

In  1842,  on  the  first  of  September,  the  second  Baptist  church  was 
formed  with  fifty-six  constituents.  Rev.  D.  T.  Hill  returned  to  Plain- 
field  in  1842  and  used  his  influence  as  an  old  and  successful  pastor,  who 


326  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

had  baptized  verj'  many  into  the  church,  to  constitute  a  second  church. 
His  adherents  in  that  year,  built  a  good  and  spacious  house  of  worship 
and  called  Mr.  Hill  to  be  pastor.  The  Association  in  1843,  appointed  a 
committee  to  reconcile  the  difficulty  caused  by  Mr.  Hill's  return  to 
Plainfield  and  the  organization  of  the  second  church.  A  settlement 
of  the  trouble  was  claimed  by  the  second  church.  Mr.  Hill  resigned  in 
1852,  having  been  patsor  ten  years.  He  was  the  first  pastor  of  the 
second  church.  The  succession  of  pastors  of  the  second  church  was: 
C.  C.  Williams,  1852-56;  H.  G.  Mason,  1856-59;  J.  Duer,  1859-68;  C.  E. 
Young,  1869-70;  T.  R.  Howlitt,  1871-75.  This  year  the  second  church 
disbanded. 

It  was  said  another  church  was  to  be  formed  of  which  the  second 
was  to  be  a  nucleous.  Subsequently,  data  reveals  that  the  second 
Plainfield  church  was  absorbed  in  the  Park  Avenue  Baptist  church, 
which  was  constituted  in  March  1876.  Piscataway,  Cohansie,  and 
Scotch  Plains  alone  can  compare  with  first  Plainfield  the  length  of 
their  early  pastorates. 

Central  Plainfield  or  Park  Avenue  church  organized  in  1876,  was 
naturally  an  outgrowth  of  first  Plainfield.  Pastor  D.  T.  Hill  had  en- 
joyed wonderful  prosperity  in  Plainfield  and  is  believed  to  have  had 
assurances  of  like  successes  upon  his  return.  But  he  had  been  mis- 
informed of  the  temper  of  the  people,  of  their  unwillingness  to  forsake 
a  pastor  of  their  choice  for  an  old  friend,  whose  plans  did  not  commend 
them  to  either  their  judgement  or  to  their  piety.  Besides  they  knew 
that  their  old  pastor  was  impulsive;  while  Mr.  Drake  could  be  depended 
upon  as  not  subject  to  "fits  and  starts." 

In  the  digest  of  the  letters  of  the  Eas  tAssociation  for  1875,  page  23, 
Plainfield  second  says:  "Initiatory  steps  are  in  progress  looking  to  the 
organization  of  a  new  church,  of  which  th's  shall  be  a  nucleus."  Under 
the  leadership  of  Rev.  Robert  Lowrey,  (resident  at  Plainfield)  meetings 
were  held  in  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  house  of  worship  at  the  beginning 
of  1896  in  anticipation  of  such  a  movement.  Second  Plainfield  dis- 
appears from  the  minutes  of  the  Association  after  1876  and  the  Central 
Plainfield  Church  organized  on  March  15th,  1876  is  represented  in  the 
Association  in  1877  and  Rev.  Robert  Lowrey  as  pastor  with  having 
one  hundred  and  twentj^-four  constituents.  Elsewhere,  it  is  learned 
that  ninety-five  of  these  were  from  the  second  Plainfield  Baptist  church, 
fifteen  from  the  first  church  and  the  others  of  other  Baptist  churches. 
Thus  the  forecast  of  the  letter  of  second  Plainfield  church  had  a  real 
basis  and  the  second  church  of  Plainfield  endorsed  the  new  arrange- 
ment. The  removal  of  Mr.  Howlett  made  the  way  clear  for  the  trans- 
formation of  the  Second  Church  into  the  Central, 


CENTRAL  PLAINFIELD  AND  NEW  MARKET  327 

On  Marcli  15th,  1876,  when  the  Central  church  was  constituted, 
steps  were  taken  to  secure  Mr.  Lowrey  as  pastor  of  the  Central  church. 
Worship  continued  for  several  years  in  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church 
edifice;  but  the  growth  of  the  Central  church  made  it  needful  to  build 
a  house  of  worship  for  itself.  At  this  time,  a  citizen,  Mr.  James  E. 
Martin  offered  the  gift  of  a  lot  to  the  church  and  the  house  of  worship 
now  in  use  was  built  at  the  cost  of  forty  thousand  dollars.  Begun  on 
October  4th,  1879,  it  was  dedicated  in  December  1880.  This  house 
is  a  memorial  of  Pastor  Lowrey,  having  worshipped  four  years  in  a 
rented  place.  In  Mr.  Lowrey's  pastoral  care,  two  members  were 
licensed  to  preach.  One,  the  pastor's  son.  Mr.  Lowrey  resigned  in 
February  1885,  having  been  pastor  nine  years.  A  constituent  of  the 
church,  he  continued  a  member  of  it  till  his  death,  November  25th, 
1899.  Then  he  exchanged  his  own  sweet  songs  of  earth  for  that  of 
redemption  in  the  upper  sanctuary.  Rev.  A.  R.  Dilts  became  pastor 
in  October  1885.  An  event  of  this  pastorate  was  the  reduction  of  the 
debt  on  the  house  of  worship  from  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  to  three 
thousand  dollars.  In  other  things  it  was  a  useful  pastorate.  Mr.  Dilts 
resigned  in  April  1892.  A  third  pastor.  Rev.  J.  W.  Richardson  entered 
on  liis  official  duties  in  November  1892,  and  is  now  (1900)  in  charge. 
One  member  has  been  licensed  and  ordained.  The  church  is  a  substitute 
for  .second  Plainfield  and  for  union  of  Baptist  interests  in  Plainfield. 
A  change  of  location  of  the  church  edifice  involved  a  change  of  name 
from  Central  to  Park  Avenue  effected  about  1880.  The  church  has  had 
three  pastors,  each  of  them  very  acceptable.  Their  resignation,  which 
was  wholly  voluntary  with  themselves.  Each  pastorate  was  useful 
and  happy. 

New  Market  Baptist  church  originated  under  much  the  same 
conditions  as  did  first  Plainfield.  The  going  out  from  Samptown 
church  of  a  pastor  and  a  colony  to  constitute  it.  A  minute  of  the  Samp- 
town church  book  reads:  "With  the  cordial  consent  of  the  Samptown 
church  forty-five  of  its  members  were  granted  a  general  letter  of  dis- 
mission for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  separate  and  independent  church 
at  New  Market  on  the  25th  of  February  1852."  The  New  Market 
church  was  subsequently  recognized  at  Samptown  in  the  meeting 
house  of  the  Samptown  church.  Rev.  William  D.  Hires,  pastor  at 
Samptown,  led  out  the  colony.  A  house  of  worship  was  built  the  first 
year  of  the  constitution  of  the  church  and  soon  after  paid  for.  Large 
additions  were  made  by  baptism  in  the  two  years  in  which  Mr.  Hires 
was  pastor. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Clark  was  ordained  for  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church  in 
October  1855.     Mr.  Clark  was  pastor  four  years  and  enjoyed  a  happy 


328  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  useful  pastorate.  For  five  years,  from  the  fall  of  1859,  Rev.  I.  N. 
Hill  was  pastor.  The  nation  was  preoccupied  with  the  issues  of  the 
Civil  War  in  the  period  of  ^Ir.  Hill's  charge  of  the  church.  Despite 
its  diversion,  the  church  grew  and  enjoyed  a  good  measure  of  prosperity. 
Rev.  L.  Grenelle  settled  as  pastor  m  November  1865  and  resigned  in 
September  1872.  As  was  his  usual  pastoral  care,  the  church  improved 
in  all  lines  in  his  charge.  On  April  1st  1873,  Pastor  E.  E.  Jones  settled 
His  charge  was  the  longest  the  church  had  known,  nearly  ten  years. 
The  succeeding  pastors  were:  A.  C.  Lyon,  1882;  J.  A.  Cubberley,  1885- 
93,  while  pastor,  the  meeting  house  was  improved;  F.  Fletcher,  1893- 
1900.  New  Market  has  had  eight  pastors.  The  first  house  is  still  in 
use,  but  has  undergone  several  amendments  and  improvements  and 
serves  its  use  weU.  The  mother  church  has  been  constrained  by  the 
churches  planted  in  Plainfield  and  New  Market  to  change  her  location 
and  her  name,  but  retains  her  vigor  amid  her  prosperous  children. 


9^ 


Dr.  Webb 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 


NEW  BRUNSWICK,  GEORGE'S  ROAD  AND 
SOUTH  RIVER 

New  Brunswick  is  about  two  miles  from  tlie  Piscataway  Baptist 
church.  Why  did  not  the  mother  church  phmt  a  Baptist  church  in  the 
city  of  New  Brunswick  much  earher  than  181G  is,  to  us,  a  marvel.  But 
the  trend  of  population  in  earlier  days  was  to  the  country,  as  now  it  is, 
to  the  city.  Then  too,  distance  was  not  as  now  made  of  much  account. 
Also  the  city  was  built  along  the  river  and  the  ground  was  low.  The 
town  was  known  as  "Prigmore's  Swamp."  Only  when  the  canal  and 
the  railroad  brought  travel  and  business  to  the  town, was  there  assurance 
of  its  future. 

Members  of  Piscataway,  however,  were  resident  in  the 
town  and  when  about  1810,  the  Hon.  J.  Parker  of  Perth  Amboy, 
offered  a  lot  to  a  denomination  that  would  erect  a  house  of  worship  on 
it,  Baptists,  members  of  Piscataway  seized  on  the  offer  and  collecting 
funds  from  Piscataway,  Scotch  Plains  and  Samptown,  built  a  meeting 
house,  which  in  the  fall  of  1812,  was  opened  for  worship.  Additional 
grounds  were  bought.  The  congregation  was  known  as  a  "branch  of 
Piscataway."  War  with  England  in  1812  was  in  progress  and  the 
financial  outlook  was  dark.  In  September  1812,  Piscataway  church 
called  Rev.  J.  McLaughlin  with  an  arrangement  to  preach  in  Piscataway 
in  the  morning  and  in  the  afternoon  in  New  Brunswick.  This  order 
continued  till  September  1817. 

Mr.  McLaughlin  residing  in  New  Brunswick,  Baptists  multiplied 
in  the  town.  Deacon  Asa  Runyan  of  Piscataway  church  lived  in  New 
Brunswick,  where  he  was  a  foremost  citizen,  and  more,  a  devoted  and 
active  Christian.  Before  the  erection  of  the  meeting  house,  he  held 
Baptist  prayer  meetings  in  his  home.  His  business  tact  and  large  gifts 
assured  the  building  of  the  first  Baptist  church  edifice.  How  great 
results  come  from  the  apparently  small  doings  of  a  man  of  God!  First 
New  Bnmswick  Baptist  church  grew  out  of  Deacon  Runyan's  prayer 
meeting.  Jeremiah  Dodge,  a  Baptist  attended  them,  and  when  he 
moved  to  New  York  City,  doubtless  influenced  by  the  proceedings 
in  New  Brunswick,  he  also  began  a  prayer  meeting  in  his  house  and 
the  first  Baptist  church  in  New  York  City  grew  out  of  that  prayer  meet- 
ing. 

Deacon  Uria  Smith  of  Central  New  York  visited  his  children  settled 


330  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

near  Milwaukee,  Wis.  During  his  stay,  he  gathered  a  few  Baptists 
into  a  prayer  meeting  and  hiid  the  foundation  of  the  first  Baptist  church 
in  Milwaukee.  Deacon  Crosbey  of  Freedonia,  N.  Y.,  emigra;ted  about 
1837  to  Northern  111.,  waiting  only  to  get  a  roof  over  the  heads  of  his 
wife  and  children;  he  went  from  house  to  house  for  miles  on  the  prairie 
and  said  to  them:  "Our  community  will  be  what  we  make  it;  moral, 
honest,  kind  and  desirable  to  live  in;  or  Sabbath-breaking,  horse  racing, 
swearing,  drunken,  dishonest,  one  which  we  would  not  live  in.  Which 
shall  it  be?"  Giving  notice  of  a  meeting  at  his  house  for  prayer  on 
each  Lord's  Day,  he  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Belvidere  church  and 
other  large  churches,  within  a  radius  of  ten  or  more  miles,  additional 
to  this,  he  gave  moral  and  religious  taste  to  all  that  section  from  Chicago 
to  west  of  the  Rock  river  far  north  into  Wisconsin  and  as  far  south  in 
Illinois. 

The  New  Brunswick  church  has  an  influence  for  good  not  only 
in  New  Jersey  and  is  a  limitless  blessing  to  the  world.  Mr.  Asa  Runyon 
was  the  first  choice  of  the  church  for  a  deacon.  Asa  Runyan  and  the 
meeting  in  his  house,  may  to  men  and  the  world  be  insignificant.  Yet 
like  to  the  river  in  Ezekiel's  vision  "every  thing  lived  whithersoever 
the  river  came."  In  September  1816,  twenty-four  members  of  Pis- 
cataway  constituted  themselves  the  first  Baptist  church  of  New  Bruns- 
wick. They  retained  the  pastoral  oversight  of  Mr.  McLaughlin  one 
year.  Mr.  J.  Johnson  followed,  falling  into  disrepute,  he  closed  his 
work  in  August  1819.  Supplies  served  the  church  for  nearly  two 
years. 

In  1820,  Rev.  G.  S.  Webb  was  called  to  be  pastor,  but  he  declined. 
The  next  December,  negotiations  were  renewed,  resulting  in  his  be- 
coming pastor  in  April  1821.  Mr.  Webb's  coming  to  New  Jersey  was 
a  special  blessing  to  the  state  as  well  as  to  New  Brunswick.  He  was 
pastor  in  the  city  more  than  twenty-two  years  and  but  for  a  summons 
for  special  work  in  behalf  of  one  of  our  national  societies,  would  doubt- 
less have  continued  to  the  limit  of  his  natural  strength.  His  charge 
of  the  church  was  a  constant  harvest.  Accessions  to  it  were  numerous, 
including  men  and  women  of  social  and  financial  strength  and  of  spirit- 
ual power.     Church  and  pastor  were  pre-eminent  in  good  things. 

In  1836,  the  railroad  was  located  in  front  of  the  meeting  house, 
so  as  to  cut  off  safe  access  to  it  and  extensive  improvements  in  it  had 
just  been  completed  at  large  cost.  The  railroad  company  needed  and 
bought  the  property  involving  the  removal  of  the  dead  from  the  ceme- 
tery about  the  house  and  the  erection  of  a  new  church  edifice.  Rail- 
roads then  were  a  new  thing  and  not  as  generous  as  now,  in  allowing 
for  all  possible  losses.     The  new  house  of  worship  was  dedicated  early 


I 


^  -^^ 


Judge  P.   P.  Runyan 


NEW  BRUNSWICK  331 

in  1838.  In  the  interim  of  a  removal,  a  remarkable  work  of  grace 
occurred  which  spread  to  each  church  and  to  nearly  every  house  in  the 
city.  One  hundred  and  sixty  additions  to  the  Baptist  church  was  an 
immediate  result  of  this  refreshing. 

Pastor  Webb  resigned  in  1843  and  Prof.  G.  R.  Bliss  entered  the 
pastoral  office  the  same  year;  later  was  ordained  and  in  six  years  after, 
resigned.  Pastors  following  were:  S.  S.  Parker,  1849-51;  G.  Kempton, 
1853-58;  T.  R.  Howlett,  1858-60;  ordained  in  1858.  M.  S.  Riddell, 
1860-68;  unable  longer  to  preach.  T.  T.  Devan,  1868,  became  stated 
supply.  H.  F.  Smith,  1869-82.  He  was  .secretary  of  New  Jersey 
Baptist  state  convention,  1865-79;  H.  C.  Applegarth,  Jr.,  1883-90; 
M.  H.  Pogson,  1891-94;  L.  H.  Wheeler,  1894-1904.  Rev.  G.  S.  Webb 
having  completed  his  engagement,  returned  to  New  Brunswick  and 
made  it  his  home  till  he  died  in  1886,  nearly  97  years  old.  Deacon 
Asa  Runyon  has  been  alluded  to,  as  an  original  Baptist.  A  deacon  of 
Piscataway  before  New  Brunswick  church  was  constituted  and  the 
first  choice  of  the  New  Brunswick  church  for  its  deacon. 

Judge  P.  P.  Runyon  has  a  large  place  in  the  history  of  New  Jersey 
Baptists.  He  was  the  first  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  in 
New  Brunswick  Baptist  church.  He  was  a  constituent  of  the  New 
Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  till  his  death  in  December,  1871, 
1830-1871,  forty-one  years.  Mr.  Runyon  was  absent  from  only  one 
annual  meeting  and  one  quarterly  Board  meeting  in  forty-one  years, 
on  account  of  illness.  He  was  also  treasurer  seventeen  years  of  The 
New  Jersey  Education  Society.  In  New  Brunswick  he  had  held  nearly 
all  important  offices  and  for  thirteen  years  had  been  a  judge  in  the 
town.  He  was  a  peace  maker.  Parties  coming  to  him  in  suits  were 
reasoned  with  and  if  possible  prevailed  upon  to  settle  their  differences 
out  of  court.  His  last  birth-day,  when  eighty-four  years  old,  was 
spent  in  Chicago  in  his  duties  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union.  In  the  service  of  his  Lord,  no  place  was 
too  small  nor  work  too  lowly.  The  missionaries  of  the  State  convention 
always  had  a  sympathetic  counselor  in  him. 

Another  member  of  first  New  Brunswick  church,  whose  practical 
piety  and  large  giving  put  him  in  a  foremost  place  in  New  Jersey,  was 
Simon  Van  Wickle,  who  succeeded  Judge  Runyon  as  treasurer  of  the 
State  Convention.  It  is  known  of  Mr.  Van  Wickle  that  when  the  treas- 
ury of  the  State  Convention  was  in  arrears  five  hundred  dollars  he  paid  it 
himself.  Such  were  the  men  whom  G.  S.  Webb  trained  for  God  and 
humanity.  It  may,  however,  be  said  of  them  that  they  had  it  in  them 
to  train  and  they  had.  Of  Pastor  G.  W.  Webb,  it  must  suffice  here  to 
say:  that  as  Esther  came  to  the  throne  in  the  emergency  of  captive 


332  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Israel,  even  so  G.  S.  Webb  came  to  New  Jersey  under  Divine  influence 
to  effect  the  great  change  in  which  he  had  so  eminent  a  part.  The  change 
in  the  temper  of  the  State  from  then  to  the  present  order  and  unity 
is  inconceivable  to  one  who  has  not  known  both  regime. 

North  and  East  Jersey;  and  south  and  West  Jersey  drawing  apart 
as  two  foreign  peoples.  Divergence  instead  of  concert,  seemingly  a 
fixed  law  unlike  any  other  of  the  thirteen  colonies.  The  process  of 
divorcement  in  all  Baptist  affairs  was  in  full  progress.  It  was  for  the 
oneness  that  now  exists  which  Mr.  Webb  wrought  so  efficiently  and 
was  so  nobly  sustained  by  his  church  and  by  Piscataway.  Four  churches 
have  come  out  of  First  New  Brunswick  church  and  have  shared  in  her 
sympathies  and  care. 

In  1843,  the  George's  Road  church  was  constituted.  At  South 
River,  the  Tabernacle  church  was  established  in  1871.  The  Living- 
ston Avenue  church  was  organized,  as  Remson  Avenue  church,  in  1872. 
An  Afro  American  church  was  formed  in  1876  in  the  city.  There  is 
a  reasonable  assurance  that  the  First  New  Brunswick  Baptist  church 
maintains  its  foremost  place  as  a  fountain  of  hallowed  good,  not  merely 
in  New  Jersey  and  as  a  local  center  of  power  and  of  blessing;  recalling 
its  venerable  mother,  Piscataway,  to  which  a  large  cluster  of  churches 
will  ever  look  with  reverence  and  gratitude.  For  itself,  the  church 
has  had  two  houses  of  worship,  both  of  which  have  undergone  repairs 
and  improvements  involving  very  considerable  cost. 

The  churches  that  have  gone  from  it,  have  had  generous  aid  in 
the  erection  of  the  buildings  from  the  mother  church.  That  at  South 
River  and  the  house  for  Ebenezer  church  were  erected  chiefly  by  the 
First  church.  Twelve  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  church.  Of 
these,  one  only  was  a  disappointment;  evil  reports  about  him  led  to  his 
resignation.  Mr.  Webb  remained  twenty- two  years  and  in  his  relation 
to  the  church,  in  its  destitution  of  a  pastor,  in  1857  and  8,  one  or  two 
years  may  be  added  to  his  pastoral  charge.  H.  F.  Smith  was  pastor 
thirteen  years.  Mr.  Riddell  continued  eight  years  in  charge  as  pastor. 
Mr.  McLaughlin  was  joint  pastor  of  Piscataway  and  of  New  Brunswick. 
His  resignation  at  Piscataway  terminated  his  pastorate  at  each  place. 
Under  his  charge,  the  Baptist  church  in  New  Brunswick  was  con- 
stituted. 

Of  the  Ebenezer  Afro  American  church,  special  mention  is  made 
of  it  in  the  chapter  of  such  churches.  A  lot  for  its  house  of  worship 
was  given  to  them  by  S.  C.  Ballard  and  the  meeting  house  was  chiefly 
built  by  the  First  church.  Rev.  William  Wallace  was  its  first  pastor 
and  served  several  years  and  resigned  in  1880.  A.  G.  Young  followed 
in  1880  and  was  pastor  in  1900. 


GEORGE'S  ROADS  AND  SOUTH  RIVER  333 

George's  Roads  is  a  hamlet  about  five  niiles  south  and  east  of 
New  Brunswick  in  Middlesex  County.  Possibly  from  its  proximity 
to  Washington,  South  River,  there  were  resident  Baptists  in  its  vicinity, 
inducing  the  New  Jersey  State  Convention  to  appoint  Rev.  J.  li.Case 
its  missionary  on  the  field.  The  first  Baptist  church  of  New  Brunswick 
also  took  interest  in  the  locality.  Pastor  Webb  and  some  of  his  members 
held  social  meetings;  sustained  a  Sunday  school  and  Mr.  Webb  preached 
there,  long  before  a  church  was  formed,  converts  were  added  to  New 
Brunswick  church.  An  interest  may  have  been  quickened  on  account 
of  the  antinomian  element  there.  Some  of  the  sisters  used  to  walk 
to  the  city  to  attend  service.  At  last,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  J.  T.  Bennett  on  January  20th,  1843  to  organize  a  Baptist  church 
and  on  January  23rd,  a  council  met  and  recognized  the  associated  mem- 
bers as  a  Baptist  church. 

Thirty-three  constituents,  of  whom  thirty  were  from  First  New 
Brunswick  church.  Mr.  J.  B.  Case  became  pastor,  remaining  two 
years.  The  subsequent  pastors  were:  D.  P.  Purdun,  1845-47.  Mr. 
Purdun  was  a  man  of  limited  means,  but  he  left  a  legacy  of  three  hun- 
dred dollars  to  the  church,  which  proved  to  be  of  far  more  worth  than 
the  gro.ss  sum,  both  as  a  memorial  of  his  love  and  as  an  inspiration  to 
others.  Mr.  Purdun  was  wholly  uneducated  and  saved  out  of  a  pittance 
of  a  salary,  the  great  sum  he  left  to  the  church.  For  great  it  was,  to  a 
man  who  had  never  owned  a  thousand  dollars.  In  the  two  years  of 
his  pastorate,  Mr.  Purdun  baptized  fifty  persons  into  the  church.  The 
house  of  worship  was  built  in  the  first  year  of  his  charge  and  dedicated 
in  March  1847. 

Rev.  B.  Steele  followed  Mr.  Purdun  and  resigned  in  1853.  Other 
pastors  were:  Morgan  Cox,  1854-60;  C.  E.  Cordo,  1862-63;  C.  Brinkerhoff 
1865-68;  L.  Selleck,  1869-74.  In  his  charge  a  parsonage  was  built. 
J.  Babbage,  1875-83;  A.  Millington,  1884.  Many  baptisms  in  this 
charge.  G.  T*  McNair,  1886-89;  when  he  died  in  March,  aged  fifty-nine 
years;  C.  J.  Wilson,  1890-92;  G.  F.  Love,  1892-98;  M.  T.  Shelford,  1899- 
1900.  Twelve  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  church.  One  of  whom 
died.  On  account  of  the  location  of  the  church  it  is  never  likely  to  be 
strong.  It  must  needs  be  a  feeder  to  towns  and  cities.  The  worth  of 
rural  churches  for  the  men  and  women  they  give  to  the  world  cannot 
be  estimated.  Not  only  ministers,  but  deacons  and  business  men,  whose 
benevolence  and  influence  for  good  is  beyond  estimate.  Women,  also, 
whose  influence  for  good  is  a  limitless  blessing  to  humanity.  Such 
fruits  pay  a  thousandfold  for  an  expenditure  of  mission  funds  to  sus- 
tain them. 

The  following  is  a  minute  extract  from  the  Hightstown  church 


334  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

book:  "Persons  principally  members  of  our  church,  were  regularly 
dismissed  and  constituted  into  churches  at  the  following  places:  Squan, 
October  20,  1804;  South  village,  Washington,  September  21,  1805; 
Lamberton  (First  Trenton)  November  9,  1805."  The  church  at  Wash- 
ington, South  River  was  thus  formed  in  1805.  Baptists  had  settled 
there  in  an  early  day.  As  evidence  of  their  strength,  Peter  Wilson  of 
Hightstown  was  their  pastor  in  1820-23.  J.  C.  Goble,  an  apostle  of 
Antinomianism  was  pastor  from  1826  to  1839,  with  the  usual  result, 
a  withering  life.  The  name  of  the  church  and  those  of  three  other 
churches  disappears  from  the  minutes  of  the  Central  Association  in 
1835.  All  infected  with  the  plague  of  Antinomianism.  Mr.  Goble  was 
a  taking  man  and  an  able  preacher  till  he  became  a  captive  to  drink. 

Thirteen  of  the  members  of  South  River,  withdrew  in  1840  and 
constituted  the  Herbertsville  (Old  Bridge)  church.  Others,  residents, 
quietly  repudiated  the  teaching  of  Mr.  Goble  and  waited  for  help  from 
without.  The  First  Baptist  church  of  New  Brunswick  built  a  meeting 
house  in  Washington,  South  River,  in  1870.  Anticipating  that  the 
time  for  a  regular  Baptist  church  was  not  afar  off.  When  the  house 
was  built  in  1870,  other  Baptists  repudiated  the  antinomian  church 
and  other  Baptists  at  a  distance,  uniting  with  the  Baptist  elements  at 
South  River,  composed  a  strong  force,  and  first  New  Brunswick  Baptist 
church  made  arrangements  to  constitute  a  regular  Baptist  church. 
This  was  effected  in  1871,  with  thirteen  constituents  to  whom  thirteen 
others  united  themselves. 

Rev.  M.  Johnston  was  the  first  pastor  who  gave  up  his  charge  in 
1874.  H.  D.  Doolittle  became  pastor  in  1875,  and  retired  from  the 
pastorship  in  1878;  C.  H.  Woolston  settled  as  pastor  in  1880  and  closed 
his  labors  with  the  church  in  1885.  F.  C.  Overbaugh  entered  as  pastor 
in  1885  and  closed  his  ministry  in  South  River  in  1886.  G.  H.  Gardner 
was  ordained  in  February  1888  and  gave  up  his  charge  at  South  River 
in  1896.  S.  D.  Sammis  followed  in  1896  and  removed  in  1898  and  E.  I. 
Case  accepted  a  call  in  the  same  year  and  was  pastor  in  1900. 

The  church  has  had  seven  pastors.  Cloud  and  sunshine  have 
interchanged  in  the  history  of  the  church.  Growth  where  antinomian- 
ism has  root  is  slow  and  emigration  from  abroad  is  not  expected 
in  such  retired  sections;  ruthless  and  bitter  opposition  is  a  sweet  morsel 
to  antinomianism  and  the  South  River  church  has  had  it  abundantly. 
The  house  of  worship  has  been  enlarged  and  improved  as  occasion 
demanded  and  a  parsonage  has  added  comfort  to  the  pastor. 

Livingston  Avenue  church  was  first  known  as  Remson  Avenue 
church.  A  change  of  name  occurring,  as  it  often  does  in  cities,  by 
change  of  location.     This  was  the  third  church  that  had  colonized  from 


LIVINGSTON  AVENUE.  335 

the  first  Baptist  church.  A  second  Baptist  church  in  the  city  had  long 
been  under  consideration.  Positive  action,  however,  did  not  take 
place  till  1870,  when  Deacon  Simon  Van  Wickle  offered  the  gift  of 
three  lots  on  Remson  avenue  on  which  to  erect  a  church  edifice  for 
the  use  of  a  second  Baptist  church  in  the  city.  A  building  committee 
was  appointed  by  the  First  church  of  which  Deacon  Van  Wickle  was 
chairman. 

In  March,  1872,  the  lecture  room  of  the  new  building  was  ready 
for  use  and  was  dedicated.  On  the  next  day,  the  17th  of  March,  the 
Sunday  school  was  organized  and  on  the  9th  of  April,  eighty  constituents 
nearly  all  of  them  dismissed  from  the  First  church,  became  the  Remson 
Avenue  church.  For  almost  a  year.  Rev.  T.  T.  Devan,  M.  D.,  a  con- 
stituent of  the  new  church,  ministered  as  pastor.  Already,  the  house 
proved  to  be  too  small  and  it  was  decided  to  enlarge  it.  The  enlarged 
building  was  dedicated  on  the  29th  of  May,  1873.  Mr.  A.  E.  Waffle 
had  been  called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained  on  the  day  in  which  the 
house  was  re-dedicated.  1874  was  a  year  of  revival  influences.  One 
hundred  and  thirty-five  persons  were  baptized  into  the  church.  In 
1880,  Mr.  Waffle  retired. 

W.  H.  H.  Marsh  on  the  ensuing  December  settled  in  1880,  and 
resigned  in  1885.  M.  V.  McDuffie  became  pastor  in  1886  and  in  1895, 
removed.  Plans  for  a  new  house  of  worship  involving  a  change  of 
location  and  of  name,  on  Livingston  Avenue  were  perfected  in  the 
pastorate  of  Mr.  McDuffie  and  the  new  house  was  dedicated  in  1894. 
Rev.  C.  A.  Jenkins  entered  the  pastoral  office  in  1895  and  closed  his 
labors  at  Livingston  Avenue  in  the  middle  of  1900.  The  church  has 
occupied  two  houses  of  worship,  the  first  built  by  the  first  church;  the 
second  by  itself.  It  has  had  five  pastors,  if  the  labors  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Devan  is  included.  Special  mention  may  be  made  of  the  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sunday  school,  Mr.  John  T.  Morgan,  chosen  in  1872  and  re- 
maining until  1899,  twenty-seven  years.  No  public  statement  is  made 
of  his  resignation,  death  or  infirmities  compelling  his  retirement. 


CHAPTEK  XXXIV. 


WANTAGE,  WESTTOWN  AND  HAMBURGH. 

In  1883,  Deckertown  was  adopted  as  a  substitute  for  Wantage 
which  was  the  name  of  the  church  since  1790.  In  1756,  the  church 
was  named  Newtown.  These  changes  of  name  were  caused  by  change 
of  location  of  its  house  of  worship.  The  first  and  second  names  were 
those  of  the  township.  The  third  that  of  the  village.  The  Newtown 
church  built  two  meeting  houses,  one  in  the  vicinity  of  Hamburg, 
another,  near  to  or  at  Augusta,  both  in  the  same  township.  That 
near  Hamburg  was  taken  down  in  1772  and  rebuilt  in  Wantage  town- 
ship and  hence  the  second  name.  But  the  new  name  did  not  appear 
in  the  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Association  till  1790. 

When  Rev.  L.  O.  Grenclle  was  pastor  of  the  Wantage  church, 
despite  fierce  opposition,  he  succeeded  in  getting  a  house  of  worship 
built  in  Deckertown.  Centers  of  poulation  change  often.  Churches 
that  grow  must  needs  be  where  the  people  are.  In  the  early  times 
the  population  was  from  all  nations.  Emigrants  flocked  to  New 
Jersey,  because  of  its  pre-eminence  in  civil  and  religious  freedom  and 
its  foremost  educational  advantages.  It  had  the  distinction  of  a 
high-toned  and  cultured  class  of  settlers.  So  that  from  New  England 
and  from  the  south,  the  better  sort  of  residents  sought  and  found  in 
the  colony  the  companionship  of  refinement,  wealth  and  culture. 
Clannishness  disappeared.  Centers  of  trade  were  begun  and  churches 
had  the  alternative  of  change  or  die. 

New  Jersey  became  like  to  Pennsylvania,  a  refuge  for  all  peoples 
and  all  religions.  Even  citizens  of  Rhode  Island,  par  excellence, 
a  colony  of  civil  and  religious  freedom,  preferred  a  home  here,  to  re- 
maining there.  Colonists  from  Pennsylvania  where  a  Baptist  judge, 
the  second  son  of  Obadiah  Holmes,  the  Massachusetts  martyr  had 
protected  people  from  persecuting  Quakers.  Another  reason  influenced 
men  and  women.  Every  foot  of  land  had  been  bought  from  the  Indians 
on  their  own  terms.  The  Indians  had  reserved  the  right  to  fish  in  the 
waters  of  the  state  and  to  hunt  in  the  enclosed  lands.  They  had  gone 
west  and  they  sent  their  chief  in  1832  to  ask  the  legislature  to  buy  their 
reserv'ed  rights  for  two  thousand  dollars.  In  acknowledging  the 
receipt  of  the  money  the  chief  said:  "Not  a  drop  of  our  blood  have 
you"spilled  in  battle;  not  an  acre  of  our  land  have  you  taken  but  by 
our  consent." 


WANTAGE  OR  DECKERTOWN  337 

Is  there  a  parallel  to  sueh  a  transaction  in  any  colony  or  nation 
past  or  present?  Other  colonics  have  their  dreadful  record  of  massacre , 
of  burned  homes,  of  fleeing  settlers  and  their  flight  hastened  by  the 
midnight  war  whoop.  But  the  colonists  in  New  Jersey  laid  down  to 
sleep  in  security;  went  unarmed  to  their  fields  and  into  the  faraway 
woods,  unfearing  for  themselves,  their  homes,  wives  and  children. 
An  added  reason  for  assurance,  was,  that  "the  House  of  the  Stewarts" 
was  imder  obligations  to  the  Quakers  and  to  the  Welsh  for  kindnesses 
shown  to  Charles  I.  which  Charles  II.  dared  not  ignore  and  repaid  in 
part  to  William  Penn  and  to  his  own  brother,  the  Duke  of  York  for 
New  Jersey.  Injustice  and  evil  doing  is  charged  against  the  Stewarts, 
and  there  was  much  of  it.  It  is  to  their  credit,  that  when  returned  to 
power,  they  remembered  the  friends  who  had  befriended  them  in 
adversity. 

The  charter  of  New  Jersey  guaranteed  special  and  religious  liberties. 
True,  this  was  a  right  under  the  Dutch  rule  in  Eastern  New  Jersey. 
But  it  became  universal  and  once  enjoyed,  could  not  be  denied;  thus 
safe  from  the  savage,  safe  from  the  whipping  post,  safe  from  the  gail 
and  safe  from  the  unhallowed  taxes  for  the  support  of  a  state  hierarchy; 
why  should  not  the  feet  of  such  aggrieved  people  gladly  come  to  a  haven 
of  rest  and  of  freedom? 

.  All  the  world  knows  the  story  of  Roger  Williams  and  of  the  liaptism 
he  received  of  Ezekiel  Hollimen  and  of  the  baptism  by  Roger  Williams 
of  Hollimen  and  of  eleven  others.  This  was  repeated  in  the  winter  of 
1752-3  in  the  township  of  Newtown,  Sussex  County,  New  Jersey. 
Elkanah  Fuller  baptized  Rev.  William  Marsh  and  others. 

The  history  of  this  church  will  be,  partly,  the  history  of  an  inde- 
pendent church;  partly  of  a  church  consisting  of  pedobaptists  and 
adultbaptists;  and  partly  of  a  church  that  is  altogether  Baptist;  under 
the  first  distinction,  it  originated  in  Mansfield,  in  Connecticut,  about 
the  end  of  1749  or  the  beginning  of  1750:  the  constituents  were  William 
Marsh  and  wife,  Joseph  Pomeroy  and  wife,  Wiliam  South  worth  and 
wife,  Joshua  Engard  and  wife,  John  Slate  and  wife,  Elizabeth 
Lathrop,  Mary  Nicholas,  Elkanah  Fuller,  Rudolphus  Fuller  and  David 
Chapman  and  wife:  These  withdrew  from  the  established  worship  of 
Mansfield,  and  therefore  were  called  separates.  The  above  sixteen 
persons  were  formed  into  an  independent  church  at  said  Mansfield  as 
above  specified. 

As  soon  as  they  were  pronounced  a  gospel  church,  they  proceeded 

to  choose  Mr.  Marsh  for  their  pastor,  who  was  ordained  the  same  time , 

by  two  separate  ministers  whose  names  are  not  remembered.     But 

the  next  year  (1751)  they  agreed  to  quit  Mansfield,  Conn.,  and  go  in 

22 


338  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

a  body  to  New  Jersey.  The  part  they  pitched  upon  for  residence  was 
the  said  Newtown,  in  the  north  border  of  Sussex  County.  They  had 
not  been  long  in  their  new  settlement  before  some  (who  had  scruples 
about  infant  baptism  at  Mansfield)  declared  openly  for  the  baptism  of 
believers.  But  now  the  same  question  puzzled  them  which  had  puzzled 
others  in  both  England  and  Germany,  etc.,  viz:  "Whether  baptism 
administered  by  an  unbaptized  person,  be  valid?"  for  they  considered 
infant  baptism  a  nullity:  however,  they  resolved  the  question  in  the 
affirmative  from  the  consideration  of  necessity;  accordingly  Mr.  Marsh 
was  baptized  by  Mr.  Elkana  Fuller,  and  then  Elkana  Fuller  was  bap- 
tized by  Mr.  Marsh;  this  was  in  the  winter  of  1752;  for  it  is  remembered 
that  the  ice  was  broken  for  the  purpose,  in  the  form  of  a  coffin. 

Next  year,  were  baptized  by  Mr.  Marsh,  Joshua  Cole,  Capt.  Roe, 
Daniel  Roberts,  Hezekiah  Smith  and  wife,  and  Rudolphus  Fuller. 
These  eight  persons  were,  November  14,  1756,  formed  into  a  Baptist 
church  bj'  a  new  covenant  which  is  still  extant,  though  the  records  of 
prior  transactions  have  perished.  Two  years,  after,  they  joined  the 
association. 

We  have  mentioned  some  remarkable  things  already;  to  which 
may  be  added  (1)  That  Newtown  may  be  considered  as  an  original 
church,  having  sprung  from  no  other  Baptist  church.  (2)  It  has  in- 
creased in  34  years  from  eight  to  seventy-four.  (3)  Mixed  communion 
continued  in  this  church  after  it  became  Baptist,  which  the  Baptists 
excused  from  the  consideration  of  necessity.  (4)  In  1761,  Mr.  Marsh 
took  it  into  his  head  to  introduce  the  economy  of  the  Moravians,  viz : 
to  have  all  things  in  common.  About  thirty-six  persons  came  into 
his  measure,  but  being  chiefly  poor  people,  the  project  failed  in  less 
than  two  years.  What,  with  this  project,  and  Mr.  Marsh's  altering 
his  preaching  to  the  manner  of  the  Separati-sts  and  his  turning  speculator 
in  traffic  and  quitting  them  in  1763,  the  church  had  well  nigh  come  to 
nothing,  for  when  Mr.  Cox  came  among  them  in  1771,  there  were  but 
seven  members  remaining. 

Some  of  the  lay  brethren  used  frequently  to  stand  up  for  prophe- 
sying or  exhortation,  while  the  spirit  of  the  New  England  separaters 
was  warm  at  Newtown.  But  the  first  minister  of  the  church  was  Rev. 
William  Marsh. 

We  have  said  much  of  him  already,  to  which  mav  be  added,  that 
he  was  born  at  Wrentham  in  Connecticut;  ordained  at  Mansfield  in  the 
same  state,  by  ministers  of  the  separate  order,  which  ordination  served 
him  when  he  became  a  Baptist;  that  he  left  the  church  in  1763,  and 
went  to  Wyoming,  where  he  was  murdered  by  Indians.  He  (as  before 
observed)  turned  his  attention  to  traffic,  buying  horses,  cattle  etc., 


WANTAGE  339 

and  selling  thcni  for  gain.  The  last  drove  mined  him  and  hurt  his 
neighbors.  AMien  he  had  turned  his  drove  into  money,  he  was  re- 
turning home;,  but  had  occasion  to  stop  on  Societ}'  Hill  in  Philadelphia. 
When  he  came  out  of  his  friend's  house,  his  saddle-bags  and  money 
were  gone. 

The  idiosyncrasies  of  Mr.  Marsh  reduced  the  membership  to  seven 
and  the  church  was  nearly  extinct.  But  Mr.  Constant  Hart,  one  of 
those  from  Connecticut  and  a  constituent  of  the  church,  became  an 
exhorter  and  leader.  Under  his  labors,  there  was  a  recovery  from 
its  low  condition.  After  a  little  while,  Mr  Hart  went  to  New  England 
and  was  ordained.  The  nearest  Baptist  church  was  Scotch  Plains, 
a  vast  distance  in  these  early  days.  On  the  return  of  Mr.  Hart  to  New- 
town, about  1769,  a  reorganization  of  the  church  was  made  and  its 
name  was  changed  to  Baptist  church  of  Hardiston,  Wantage  and 
Newtown.     Its  members  living  in  each  of  these  localities. 

Mr.  Hart  was  pastor,  the  last  time,  from  1770  to  1777  and  the 
church  grew  in  number  and  compactness  and  became  a  thorough 
Baptist  church.  A  house  of  worship  was  partially  built  near  the  site 
of  Hamburg.  Rev.  N.  Cox  settled  as  pastor  in  1777.  Already  many 
members  had  removed  to  Wantage  and  the  unfinished  building  near 
to  where  Hamburg  is,  was  taken  down  and  rebuilt  in  Wantage  which 
name  the  church  eventually  adopted.  The  meeting  house  near  Augusta 
accommodated  that  part  of  the  church  and  congregation  resident  nearer 
there.  The  pastor  preaching  alternately  in  these  houses.  Mr.  Cox 
resigned  in  1783.  In  his  pastorate  the  membership  increased  to  one 
hundred.  Mr.  James  Finn  followed  and  was  ordained  in  1783.  He 
resigned  in  two  years.  Mr.  Silas  Southworth  succeeded  and  was 
ordained  in  1786.  He  was  pastor  till  he  died  on  P'ebruary  20th,  1814, 
more  than  twenty-seven  years.  He  was  brought  an  infant  of  months 
to  Sussex  County,  by  his  parents,  who  were  constituents  of  the  church. 
Mr.  Southworth  was  licensed,  ordained  and  pastor  of  the  only  church 
of  which  he  had  been  a  member.  His  charge  was  one  of  eminent  use- 
fulness and  the  church  grew  rapidly  and  enjoyed  great  prosperity. 
In  1809,  Mr.  Southworth  resigned,  but  next  year  was  recalled.  In 
1804,  the  church  voted  to  raise  one  hundred  dollars  for  the  pastor  and 
that  "the  money  he  levied  on  the  male  members,  according  to  their  abil- 
ity ^ 

When  recalled  in  1810,  the  salary  was  increased  to  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  dollars  annually.  Twenty-three  members  were  dis- 
missed in  1797  to  form  the  church  in  Westtown,  afterwards  second 
Wantage.  In  1800,  Baptists  living  in  Newfoundland,  asked  that  the 
Lord's  Supper  be  observed  there  twice  a  year.     The  request  was  granted 


340  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  thereafter  Mr.  Soutliworth  preached  in  Newfoundland,  each  month. 
Four  years  after,  Baptists  in  Newfoundland  received  letters  of  dis- 
mission and  the  Newfoundland  church  was  constituted  in  1804.  Pas- 
tor Southworth  has  come  down  to  us,  and  is  known  by  the  fruits  of  his 
ministry  and  is  deservedly  esteemed  as  one  of  those  worthies  entitled 
to  a  foremost  place  in  our  memories  as  one  of  the  men  who  laid  the 
foundations  of  our  denomination  on  the  basis  of  the  New  Testament. 

Rev.  L.  Hall  became  pastor  in  November  1815  and  had  a  successful 
service  for  six  years,  when  in  August  1821,  he  entered  on  the  reward 
of  the  righteous  on  high.     (Warwick  Association,  1822,  Page  7,  item  17). 

From  March  1822  till  in  1824,  Rev.  John  Hagan  was  pastor.  Under 
his  labors  the  membership  of  the  church  was  largely  increased.  Data 
written  by  Deacon  S.  McCoy  in  1841-54  gives  us  an  insight  of  the  move- 
ments of  years  previous.  Rev.  L.  Fletcher  in  1825  was  laid  aside  by 
illness  in  Sussex  and  preached  in  March,  1825.  Later,  he  was  called 
to  be  pastor  that  year.  The  deacon  writes:  "A  thorough  reformation 
took  place  and  Antinomianism  was  voted  out.  First  it  was  moved 
to  withdraw  from  the  Warwick  Association."  In  the  winter  1829-30, 
a  revival  crowned  the  labors  of  pastor  and  people.  One  hundred  were 
baptized  into  the  fellowi^hip  of  the  church.  A  new  house  of  worship 
was  built  in  1830  on  the  old  site.  Three  members  were  licensed  to 
preach. 

Two  of  them,  John  and  Thomas  C.  Teasdale  in  1828  and  1829. 
These  brothers  were  associated  with  Zelotes  Crenelle  and  were  an 
irresistable  force  for  truth  and  righteousness  against  the  miasm  of 
antinomianism.  In  the  great  revival  in  the  winter  of  1829-30,  Deacon 
McCoy  says:  "It  was  common  at  the  prayer  meetings  to  see  and  hear 
the  venerable  father.  Deacon  H.  Martin,  his  son,  his  grand  son,  and  his 
great  grand  sons,  all  engage  in  prayer.  Four  generations."  Deacon 
Martin  filled  his  place  at  all  meetings  of  the  church  till  the  end  of  the 
summer  of  1853,  when  his  great  age  and  infirmities  prevented  him  from 
going  to  the  sanctuary.  Nearly  an  hundred  years  old,  his  name  is  in 
the  minutes  of  the  Association  in  1858. 

Mr.  Fletcher  closed  his  pastoral  charge  at  Wantage  in  December 
1831.  Rev.  T.  Jackson  followed  for  three  years  resigning  in  1835. 
Pastor  I.  Moore  was  in  charge,  1836-40.  One  hundred  nearly  were 
baptized  in  his  ministry  at  Wantage.  William  Fay  was  pastor, 
1841-42.  Rev.  Sandford  Leach  was  pastor  about  this  time. 
Mr.  D.  F.  Twiss  settled  in  1845  and  was  ordained,  resigning  in  1849. 
Rev.  Thomas  Da\ds  entered  the  pastoral  office  in  1850,  resigning  in 
1854.  He  was  recalled  in  1855,  serving  the  church  nearly  ten  years. 
The  succession  of  pastors  was:  J.  Beldon,  eighteen  months;  J.  F.  Love, 


WANTAGE  341 

1861-65;  D.  T.  Hill,  1865-69;  J.  F.  Love,  second  charge,  1870-73;  E. 
Jewett,  1874-77;  I.  G.  Dyer,  1878-82;  L.  O.  Grenelle,  1882-1885.  This 
period  was  a  crisis  period.  Movements  had  been  made  to  build  a  new 
house  of  worship  and  a  parsonage.  A  strong  and  active  element 
wanted  to  build  in  Deckertown,  but  failed  in  their  object.  The  meeting 
house  built  in  1830  was  a  mile  or  more  from  the  village,  uninviting,  out 
of  repair  and  discreditable  within  and  without. 

Other  denominations  honored  God  in  the  use  of  modern  places 
of  worship  where  the  people  were  and  were  growing,  while  Baptists 
were  losing  place  in  the  sympathies  of  the  people  and  hold,  on  their 
convictions  of  truth  and  duty.  Pastor  L.  O.  Grenelle,  like  to  his  father, 
Zelotes  Grenelle,  was  endowed  with  the  gift  of  "bringing  things  to  pass." 
To  the  surprise  of  onlookers  and  to  the  chagrin  of  opposers  who  had 
previously  blocked  all  former  attempts  to  reach  an  end  essential  to  the 
existence  and  prosperity  of  the  church;  ground  was  bought  and  a  house 
of  worship,  built  in  Deckertown,  with  his  usual  tact  and  management. 
The  success  of  this  measure  aroused  bitter  hostility  to  the  pastor  and 
having  accomplished  his  object  in  going  to  Wantage,  wisely  resigned, 
showing  thus,  both  his  intelligence  and  his  love  for  the  cause  of  Christ; 
leaving  the  church  a  unit  and  by  going  away,  removed  the  only  cause  of 
dissent. 

Mr.  A.  B.  Wilson  settled  in  1885  and  resigned  in  1887.  His  erratic 
course  excited  comparison  to  the  wisdom  of  his  predecessor  to  the  harm 
of  Mr.  Wilson.  Rev.  C.  C.  Lathrop  followed  in  1887.  Mr.  Lathrop 
was  a  remarkable  man.  Few  stood  higher  in  the  opinion  of  the  U.  S. 
government  and  of  President  Lincoln  for  his  political  and  religious 
integrity.  President  Lincoln  gave  to  him,  very  important  interests  in 
the  South,  during  the  Civil  War.  While  a  member  of  the  New  Jersey 
legislature,  he  secured  the  most  important  temperance  legislation  ever 
enacted  into  law.  which  has  the  endorsement  of  all  political  parties. 
Mr.  Lathrop  was  ordained  when  sixty-seven  years  old  and  became 
pastor  of  Wantage  church  when  sixty-nine  years  of  age.  A  Presby- 
terian from  his  youth,  he  obeyed  the  convictions  of  truth  and  duty 
and  joined  a  Baptist  chuJch,  when  fifty-five  years  old.  Pastor  of 
Wantage  church  for  eleven  years,  he  died  December  23,  1897,  within 
two  months  of  being  eighty  years  old.  His  pastorate  at  Wantage  was 
a  continuous  blessing.  Physically  and  intellectually,  it  could  be  said 
of  him,  as  of  Moses:  "His  eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  force  a- 
bated." 

Rev.  J.  Bristow  entered  the  pastorate  in  March  1898  and  is  now  in 
1900,  holding  the  trust.  The  church  has  had  four  names.  Newtown, 
1756,  Hardiston  of  Newtown  and  Wantage  about  1770;  Wantage,  1790; 


342  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Deckertown,  1883.  Twenty-three  pastors  have  ministered  to  the 
church.  Two  of  them  have  been  pastors  twice  and  two  of  them 
have  closed  their  work  in  death.  One  pastor,  Mr.  Southworth, 
served  twenty-seven  years.  He  was  the  son  of  a  constituent;  was 
baptized,  licensed  and  ordained  by  the  church  in  which  he  was 
brought  up. 

Morgan  Edwards  had  quite  an  indifferent  opinion  of  Mr.  South- 
worth,  saying  of  him:  "He  is  one  of  those  lay  ministers,  whothink  they 
may  be  wiser  than  they  already  (studious)  or  that  ordination  and 
Reverend  Sir,  have  made  them."  (Mr.  Edwards  is  mixed  in  this  ex- 
pression). How  mistaken  human  judgements  are!  How  educated 
men  stumble  in  their  conceits!  It  is  wise  to  suspend  judgement  of  men 
whom  God  calls  into  the  ministry;  till  we  have  seen  the  use  he  has  for 
them  and  the  use  he  makes  of  them. 

As  many  as  eight  members  were  licensed  to  preach.  Among  them 
not  only  Silas  Southworth,  but  John  and  Thomas  Teasdale,  both  of 
whom  accomplished  vast  good  for  Christ  and  truth  in  a  day  when 
coveteousness  and  antinomianism  were  allied  to  war  on  the  Kingdom 
of  God.  The  Newtown  church,  under  its  several  names  has  built  for 
itself,  five  meeting  houses.  Two,  one  near  Hamburg  and  at  Augusta; 
two  in  Wantage  and  one  at  Deckertown.  Two  colonies  have  gone  out 
and  constituted  churches.  In  1797,  a  colony  of  twenty-three  members 
organized  Westtown  church.  Baptists  in  Newfoundland  were  united 
with  Wantage  in  New  Jersey  and  with  Warwick  church  in  New  York 
State.  Those  connected  with  Wantage  received  letters  of  dismission 
and  united  with  those  of  Warwick  and  constituted  in  1804  the  New- 
foundland church.  The  Wantage  church  through  Pastor  Fletcher  and 
the  brothers,  John  and  Thomas  Teasdale,  brought  to  naught,  the 
antinomian  efforts  to  sweep  the  Baptist  churches  in  Sussex  County 
into  antinomianism.  The  Warwick  Association  accepted  antinomian- 
ism in  1833.  Wantage  was  one  of  the  three  churches  that  withdrew 
and  formed  the  Second  Sussex  Association.  Lafayette  and  Newton 
churches  derived  their  elementary  strength  from  the  original  Newtown 
church.  Nor  only  these,  but  Vernon  that  was  absorbed  in  Hamburg. 
Hamburg  also,  Delaware  and  Mansfield.  Were  the  facts  attainable. 
Baptist  interests  in  Warren  County  would  also  be  identified  with  the 
original  Newtown  church. 

The  church  originally  known  as  Westtown,  afterwards  changed  its 
name  in  1804,  to  second  Wantage;  was  constituted  with  twenty-three 
members  dismissed  from  first  Wantage.  Among  them  was  Thomas 
Casad.  He  was  licensed  by  first  Wantage  to  preach.  When  Westtown 
was  organized,  Mr.  Casad  was  ordained  for  its  first  pastor.       At  the 


WESTTOWN  AND  HAMBURG  343 

end  of  ten  years,  he  ended  his  labors  in  death,  in  1808.  There  was  a 
vacancy  in  the  pastoral  office  until  1811  when  a  member  of  the  church 
was  called  to  be  piistor,  Mr.  Winter  Mote,  who  was  ordained.  He 
was  pastor  six  years  and  baptized  one  hundred  and  forty-seven.     In 

1818,  Zelotes  Grenelle  was  called  and  ordained  in  August  1819.  Mr. 
Grenelle  wrote  an  account  of  his  ordination,  a  part  of  which  is  incor- 
porated here.  He  says:  "The  examination  was  in  a  room  in  a  shell 
of  a  meeting  house  in  a  place  called  Meadville  and  the  ordination  was 
on  a  Sunday  afternoon.  A  two  horse  lumber  wagon  was  drawn  into 
a  large  grove  near  the  meeting  house.  This  wagon  served  as  a  pulpit 
and  contained  all  the  ministers  present.  The  congregation,  about  one 
thousand,  were  seated  around."  The  ordination  of  Zelotes  Grenelle 
out  doors  illustrated  the  career  of  this  wonderful  man.  A  man  of 
assured  health  and  force,  he  was  foremost  every  where  in  the  champion- 
ship of  truth  and  duty  and  though  universally  esteemed  by  the  anti- 
nomian  leaders,  he  was  the  most  feared  by  them  as  an  opponent  of 
their  theories. 

Mr.  Grenelle  wore  a  loose  fitting  jacket  of  Calvinism  and  yet  none 
more  fully  maintained  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Sovereignty;  total 
depravity;  regeneration  essential  and  the  blood  of  the  cross  the  only 
way  of  salvation.  Mr.  Grenelle  was  pastor  of  second  Wantage  till 
1822.  That  year,  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  members,  including 
the  pastor,  were  dismissed  to  form  the  Orange  church  in  the  state  of 
New  York.  This  withdrawal  resulted  in  the  extinction  of  Second 
Wantage  church. 

Still  three  pastors  served  the  church  after  the  dismission  of  so  large 
a  number  of  its  members.  In  1870,  the  name  of  the  church  was  dropped 
from  the  list  of  churches.  A  letter  from  the  church  not  having  been 
received  since  1865.  A  house  of  worship  was  built  while  Mr.  Casad 
was  pastor.     Its  pulpit  had  longer  vacancies  than  supplies. 

1798  is  claimed  as  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  Hamburg 
church.  August  181 1 ,  would  be  a  more  exact  statement  of  its  beginning 
The  Vernon  church  formed  in  1798,  was  six  miles  from  Hamburg  and 
its  pastor  was  Rev.  Thomas  Teasdale.  Members  of  Vernon  church 
lived  in  Hamburg  and  decided  in  1811  to  constitute  a  church  in  that 
village;  an  organization  was  made  in  1811.  Mr.  Teasdale  was  pastor 
of  both  of  these  churches,  of  Hamburg  tiU  1814,  and  of  Vernon  till 

1819.  Then,  Vernon  church  disbanded  and  its  membership  united  at 
Hamburg.  The  Hamburg  church  formed  originally  of  members  of 
Vernon  and  later,  absorbing  that  body  adopted  the  date  of  the  mother 
body.  One  good  of  this  action  is  that  the  history  of  early  Baptist 
movements  in  Sussex  County  is  preserved. 


344  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Some  of  the  longest  settled  Baptists  in  Vernon  township  have  lately 
said  that  they  did  not  knov,'  of  any  other  Baptist  church  in  the  towns- 
ship  than  the  Glenwood  church,  organized  in  1862.  The  Hamburg 
church  is  virtually  the  Vernon  church  in  a  changed  location.  A  house 
of  worship  was  built  in  Hamburg  on  a  lot  given  by  Mr.  Ryerson  for  the 
use  of  all  denominations.  Baptists  and  Presbyterians,  chiefly  occupied 
it.  Pastor  Thomas  Teasdale  died  in  1827,  seventy-four  years  old. 
He  had  been  pastor  at  Vernon  since  1811.  How  long  before  that  is 
unwritten.  It  is  believed  that  he  was  the  first  pastor  at  Hamburg, 
retaining  his  charge  in  the  removal  of  the  church  to  Hamburg  and 
died  while  pastor.  He  was  greatly  lamented  by  the  church  and  com- 
munity. Himself  and  his  brother  John  did  a  great  work  for  the  King- 
dom of  God  in  North  New  Jersey.  The  Teasdales  and  Zelotes  Grenelle 
were  strangers  to  schools  but  they  had  one  teacher,  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  one  class  book,  the  Bible.  Rev.  L.  Fletcher  was  called  to  be  pastor 
in  1827,  while  pastor  at  first  Wantage  and  preached  for  three  years 
part  of  the  time.  In  March  1831,  Rev.  John  Teasdale  first  as  supply, 
then  as  pastor,  minstered  to  the  church.  His  labors  had  reward  in 
the  ensuing  winter  by  the  addition  to  the  church  of  eighty  baptized 
converts.  Mr.  Teasdale  closed  his  pastoral  care  in.  1833.  Rev.  C.  C. 
Park  followed  in  November,  1833,  and  resigned  in  1835.  Rev.  James 
Spencer  was  called  and  was  ordained  in  December  1837.  The  minute 
book  of  the  church  speaks  of  him  as  an  "humble,  earnest  and  devoted 
minister  of  Christ.' '  In  the  autumn  of  1837  began  what  is  called  "the 
great  revival,"  One  hundred  and  thirty-six  were  baptized  that  year 
and  in  three  years,  two  hundred  and  seventy-three  were  added  to  the 
church  by  baptism.  Since  the  great  Teacher  preached,  it  has  been  that 
"Many  from  that  day  went  back  from  following  him."  Thus  also,  it 
was  that  many  drifted  with  the  religious  current  and  were  deceived 
in  themselves.  In  the  summer  of  1838  Rev.  William  H.  Spencer  settled 
as  pastor  and  concluded  his  ministry  at  Hamburg  in  October  1845. 

Next  month.  Rev.  John  Davis  entered  the  pastoral  office  and  con- 
tinued till  1849.  His  ministry  of  instruction  and  training  the  lately 
added  disciples  for  usefulness,  was  a  great  blessing  to  them  and  to  the 
church.  Upon  his  removal,  a  temporary  arrangement  was  made  with 
Rev.  J.  M.  Hope  to  preach  as  his  health  permitted.  This  lasted  till 
the  spring  of  1851,  when  his  health  failed.  Then,  Rev.  Thomas  Davis, 
pastor  of  first  Wantage,  consented  to  preach  in  an  afternoon  service 
which  continued  one  year.  A  call  was  given  to  J.  S.  Christine  as  pastor 
and  that  lasted  three  years.  Rev.  J.  M.  Hope  had  recovered  his  health 
and  in  185G,  became  pastor.  The  church  edifice  was  out  of  repair, 
and  Mr.  Hope  set  about  its  improvement  and  the  house  was  rededicated 


Zelotes  Grenelle 


HAMBURG  S45 

in  1858.  Mr.  Hope  also  secured  a  parsonage.  Eight  years  were  occup- 
pied  on  lines  of  labor  essential  to  the  permanent  usefulness  of  the 
church.  In  1864,  he  resigned.  Next  year,  1865,  Rev.  D.  Silver  settled 
as  pastor  and  was  ordained  in  February  1865,  and  was  pastor  fifteen 
years.  The  succession  of  pastors  is:  A.  Millington  from  1881,  three 
years;  E.  D.  Shull,  from  1884,  two  years;  E.  J.  Cooper,  1889,  two  years; 
E.  J.  O.  Millington,  1891,  two  years;  A.  S.  Bastian,  1894,  two  years; 
A.  S.  Thompson,  1895,  three  years;  H.  J.  Roberts,  1900.  Five  mem- 
bers have  been  licensed  to  preach.  The  first  of  these,  M.  Quin,  in  1831, 
was  one  of  the  most  efficient  ministers.  He  gave  himself  to  labor  in 
destitute  fields  and  in  weak  churches.  He  and  John  Todd  of  Cedarville 
were  favorite  missionaries  of  the  Board  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist 
State  Convention.  In  1823,  the  antinomian  element  in  Hamljurg, 
numbering  twenty-two,  called  for  letters  of  dismission.  Instead  of 
complying,  the  church  called  a  council  for  advice.  Upon  its  recom- 
mendation, the  applicants  were  excluded.  These,  constituted  them- 
selves into  an  antinomian  church  and  located  in  the  village  of  Franklin. 
This  body  has  long  since  become  extinct.  There  has  not  been  colonies 
from  Hamburg  church.  The  church  has  had  eighteen  pastors.  One, 
A.  Millington,  has  been  pastor  twice.  One,  the  first,  has  died,  having 
been  pastor  seventeen  years  and  another  six  or  seven  years.  How 
many  houses  of  worship,  if  more  than  one,  does  not  appear.  Two 
parsonages:  the  first  outside  of  the  village,  was  sold;  the  second  was 
build  a  few  years  ago  in  the  village. 


W^ 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 


CHURCHES  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY 

Morgan  Edwards  says  of  First  Cape  May  Baptist  church,  that  it 
may  be  deemed  an  original  church,  having  sprung  from  none  other,  but 
having  originated  in  the  place  where  it  exists.  "For  the  origin  of  this 
church,  we  must  take  a  retrospect  of  affairs  to  1675,  in  which  year 
a  vessel  with  emigrants  in  Delaware  (river  or  bay)  from  England  who 
settled  some  at  the  cape  and  some  elsewhere.  Among  those  at  the 
cape,  were  two  Baptists;  viz:  George  Taylor  and  Philip  Hill.  Taylor 
kept  a  meeting  in  his  o-rni  house  and  with  his  exhortations,  reading 
the  Bible  and  expounding  and  enlightened  some  in  the  article  of  Believer 
baptism.  After  his  death  in  1702,  Mr.  Hill  continued  the  meetings 
till  1704,  when  he  died. 

Soon  after,  George  Eaglesfield  visited  the  Cape  and  made  more 
proselytes.  These  went  to  Philadelphia  to  receive  Holy  baptism  (60 
miles  distant)  as  appears  by  the  Association  book."  "In  1688,  Elias 
Keach  visited  these  parts  and  ordained  one  Ashton.  In  the  fall  of  171 1 
Rev.  Thomas  Griffiths  of  "Welsh  tract"  Del.,  went  to  the  Cape  with 
the  view  to  purchase  land  and  settle  among  the  people  for  life.  But 
failing  in  his  design,  he  quitted  them,  the  next  spring  and  recommended 
to  them,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Jenkins,  who  had  just  arrived  in  the  country 
from  Wales.  Mr.  Jenkins  came  and  pleased  the  people  and  on  June 
24th,  1712,  he  and  they  were  constituted  a  Baptist  church  by  Rev. 
T.  Brooks  of  Cohansie  and  his  Elders  were  thirty-seven  constituents, 
of  whom  twenty  were  women  and  seventeen  men."  A  noteworthy 
statement. 

Baptists  and  their  long  vigil  of  twenty-nine  years,  each  true  to  the 
Divine  Word,  no  doubt  ofttimes  discouraged,  and  yet,  "for  Christ's 
sake"  was  a  sufficient  motive.  First  Cape  May  was  the  fourth  Baptist 
church  established  in  New  Jersey  and  it  was  the  first  to  recognize  wives 
and  daughters  as  equally  entitled  with  husbands  and  sons  to  be  enrolled 
as  constituents  of  a  Gospel  church.  How  much  Mr.  Jenkin  had  to  do 
with  this  is  un-wTitten.  In  Wales,  his  native  land,  for  centuries  married 
women  were  entitled  to  vote.  Welsh  women  were  not  inferiors.  Mr. 
Edwards  adds  this  additional  information  of  this  church:  "In  1715, 
they  built  their  first  meeting  house  on  land  of  a  man  whose  title  being 
naught  they  lost  both  the  house  and  land.  In  1742-3,  religion  was 
raised  high  at  the  Cape,  owing  partly  to  the  preaching  of  Baptist  min- 


FIRST  CAPE  MAY  Ml 

isters  and  partly  to  the  labors  of  the  Presbyterian  ministers  of  the 
Newlight  order,  but  many  of  the  disciples  of  the  latter  joining  the 
Baptists  caused  much  grumbling  and  a  public  dispute  and  polemic 
writings." 

This  was  the  occasion  of  the  public  debate  on  baptism  in  which 
Abel  Morgan  of  Middletown  had  a  part  with  the  President  of  Princeton 
College.  Rev.  N.  Jenkins  was  the  first  pastor  for  eighteen  years,  going 
from  Cape  May  to  Cohansie.  Mr.  Jenkins  had  previously  been  preaching 
at  Cohansie  once  each  month  for  six  years,  while  pastor  at  Cape  May. 
This  was  in  the  interim  of  the  death  of  Mr.  William  Butcher,  pastor  of 
Cohansie  and  the  coming  of  Mr.  Jenkins  to  be  pastor  at  Cohansie.  Mr. 
Edwards,  speaking  of  Mr.  Jenkins,  says  of  him:  "He  became  their  minis 
ter  at  the  constitution  of  the  church  in  1712,  first  Cape  May.  He  was 
a  Welshman  and  arrived  in  America  in  1710.  He  was  a  man  of  good 
parts  and  a  tolerable  education  and  quitted  himself  with  honor  in  the 
loan  office,  London,  England  (whereof  he  was  a  trustee  and  also  in  the 
Assembly,  the  Governor's  Legislature  or  Council)  particularly  in  1721 
when  a  bill  was  brought  in  to  punish  such  as  denied  the  Doctrine  ol 
the  Trinity;  the  Divinity  of  Christ;  the  inspiration  of  the  scriptures  etc." 
In  opposition  to  which,  Mr.  Jenkins  stood  up  and  with  the  warmth  and 
accent  of  a  Welshman  said:  "I  believe  the  doctrines  in  question,  as 
firmly  as  the  promoters  of  that  ill  designed  bill;  but  will  never  consent 
to  oppose  the  opposers  with  law,  or  with  any  other  weapon,  save  that 
of  argument."  The  bill  was  quashed  to  the  great  mortification  of  them 
who  wanted  to  raise  in  New  Jersey,  the  spirit  which  waged  in  New 
England. 

Mr.  Jenkins  was  educated  much  better  than  the  average  of  his 
times,  he  had  high  business  qualities  and  commanded  the  best  places 
in  commercial  and  political  life.  Like  to  other  Welshmen  he  was 
imbued  with  the  great  principal  of  soul  liberty  characteristic  of  Wales 
for  centuries.  Mr.  Jenkins  was  succeeded  at  Cape  May  by  his  son. 
The  son  was  ordained  in  1747  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven.  Owing  to 
his  ill  health,  his  pastorate  was  short;  about  seven  years.  It  is  said  of 
him  that  he  was  a  man  superior,  both  in  mind  and  cultrue.  The  uni- 
versal habit  of,  intoxicating  drink  ensnared  him  and  he  fell  into  a 
premature  dotage,  dying  in  1769,  fifty-nine  years  old.  In  1756,  Mr. 
Samuel  Heaton  settled  as  pastor,  but  in  1760,  he  removed  to  Dividing 
Creek,  where  he  gathered  a  church  and  was  its  pastor.  Mr.  Heaton  was 
a  Presbyterian.  His  experience  in  becoming  a  Baptist  is  in  the  history 
of  Schooley's  Mountaiji  church,  now  known  as  Mount  Olive.  Driven 
by  the  Indians  from  a  church  in  Virginia,  he  had  founded  there,  he 
moved  to  Cape  May, 


348  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Morgan  Edwards  said  of  Mr.  Heaton:  "If  an  honest  man  be  the 
noblest  work  of  God,"  as  Pope  saith,  "Mr.  Heaton  may  lay  claim  to 
that  nobility."  Mr.  Heaton  had  ten  children  and  Mr.  Edwards  con- 
tinues: "His  great  family  he  brought  up  in  a  decent  way,  notwithstand- 
ing his  poverty,  which  shows  him  to  have  been  a  good  citizen;  for  I 
take  it  that  a  man  who  raises  a  family  does  a  nobler  feat  than  Alexander 
or  Caesar  ever  did."  In  an  interval  of  four  years,  between  the  resig- 
nation of  Mr.  Heaton  and  his  successor,  the  church  bought  a  parsonage 
of  sixty  acres.  Rev.  John  Sutton  settled  as  pastor  April  1st,  1764. 
Mr.  Sutton  was  a  graduate  of  Hopewell  and  always  took  a  prominent 
part  in  advancing  Baptist  interests  wherever  he  was.  His  stay  at  Cape 
May  was  but  two  years.  Rev.  P.  P.  Van  Horn  followed  in  1770.  His 
labors  in  the  churhces  were  invaluable,  an  only  exception  being,  that 
so  few  of  them  could  command  services  so  worthy.  David  Smith,  the 
next  pastor  was  a  native  of  the  place  and  had  been  converted  and 
baptized  into  the  church.  He  was  licensed  in  1774  and  supplied  the 
church  till  1776,  when  he  was  ordained  at  forty-six  hears  old  and  became 
pastor.  February,  1784,  he  died,  having  ministered  to  the  church 
eleven  years.  Artis  Seagraves  of  Pittsgrove  then  came.  His  stay  was  a 
time  of  distraction  and  desolation.  In  June,  1788,  he  got  a  vote  "that 
Universalism  should  not  be  a  bar  to  communion  or  Christian  fellowsihp." 
In  August  1788,  the  following  was  adopted:  Whether  it  is  expedient 
to  hold  communion  with  Mr.  Seagraves  or  not : 

Resolved,  That  no  communion  be  held  till  we  have  the  advice  of 
the  Association."  At  its  meeting,  the  church  asked  if  a  person  holding 
to  Universalism  ought  to  be  excommunicated.  The  reply  was:  "Agreed 
that  every  such  person  upon  conviction,  after  proper  steps  have  been 
taken,  ought  to  be  excluded."  At  the  meeting  of  the  church  in  Oct- 
ober, "Mr.  Seagraves  was  suspended  from  communion  and  from  preach- 
ing, unless  he  recanted  the  doctrine  of  Universalism."  In  December, 
this  was  rescinded  and  a  letter  was  given  to  him  to  Pittsgrove.  In 
December,  this  action  was  rescinded  and  Seagraves  was  excluded.  But 
the  baseness  of  his  teaching  remained  a  long  time,  a  blight.  An  instance 
it  was  of  Universalism  destroying  all  good  both  now  and  forever. 

Rev.  John  StanclifT  entered  the  pastorate  in  1789  and  he  counter- 
acted the  falsehoods  of  Seagraves  and  rooted  them  out  and  it  was  an 
end  to  Universalism  for  twelve  years  and  then  he  was  summoned  to 
his  reward  on  high  January,  1802.  In  May,  1802,  Rev.  J.  Garman 
became  pastor.  But  he  died  in  January  1808.  At  the  end  of  June 
Rev.  Jenkin  David  was  called  to  be  pastor.  Mr.  David  was  from  Wales 
in  1794  and  continued  at  Cape  May  fourteen  years.  After  several 
months,  Rev.  Thomas  Robinson  accepted  a  call  to  the  charge  of  the 


FIRST  CAPE  MAY  349 

church  and  settled  in  Januarj'  1823.  Tliis  hunihle  and  devoted  servant 
of  God,  was  pastor  eight  >-ears.  Mr.  Robinson  was  followed  in  1831, 
b}^  Rev.  Samuel  Smith,  who  upheld  the  dignity  of  the  pastoral  office 
for  seven  years.  At  the  age  of  sixty-six  years,  in  1838,  Rev.  P.  Powell 
occupied  the  pastor's  ofhce  for  five  years,  welcoming  two  hundred  and 
thirty-four  baptized  disciples  to  the  church.  Mr.  Powell  was  a  most 
modest  and  unassuming  man.  He  was  a  memorial  minister  of  the  old 
time  pastors. 

Rev.  Isaac  Moore  was  twice  pastor  at  first  Cape  May.  His  first 
charge  began  in  1843  and  closed  in  1846.  Eleven  years  passed  and  he 
was  recalled  in  1857  and  his  term  lasted  three  years.  For  his  times, 
of  Calvinistic  preaching,  he  leaned  positively  to  Armenianism,  but 
was  thoroughly  evangelistic.  At  the  close  of  Mr.  Moore's  first  settle- 
ment, another  native  Welshman  entered  the  patorate.  Rev.  David 
James.  There  has  always  been  an  affinity  between  the  Baptist  churches 
of  New  Jersey  and  Welsh  Baptist  preaching,  due  it  may  be,  to  the 
liking  of  Baptist  churches  in  New  Jersey,  to  Baptist  preaching  and  to 
the  Welsh  preachers  preaching  Baptist  views  so  that  converts  were 
multiplied.  Mr.  James  resigned  in  1850.  L.  F.  Barney  followed  for 
two  years,  after  whom  Mr.  J.  E.  Wilson  was  ordained  in  J\me  1853 
and  closed  his  labors  at  first  Cape  May  in  1857.  Since  then,  the  success- 
ion of  pastors  has  been:  I.  Moore,  1857-60;  WiUiam  Swinden,  1860-65; 
E.  N.  Jenks,  1865-67;  A.  J.  Hires,  1867-74;  F.  B.  Greu,  1874-78.  In 
1874,  a  chapel  was  built  at  Rio  Grande.  A.  Cauldwell,  1878-81;  W.  L. 
Jones,  1881-83;  W.  E.  Cornell,  1883-86;  H.  S.  Watt,  1886,  who  died 
in  about  five  months,  but  enjoyed  a  work  of  grace  in  his  early  charge. 
S.  B.  Hayward,  1886-90;  E.  B.  Morris,  1890-92;  Debt  paid,  parsonage 
repaired.  H.  G.  McKean,  1892-93;  T.  E.  Richards,  1894-95;  F.  H. 
Shermer,  1896-1899;  J.  W.  Caine,  from  April  1900. 

First  Cape  May  church  has  had  thirty-one  pastors.  The  first 
was  the  longest.  The  shortest  that  of  Mr.  Watts.  Death  cut  it  short. 
Four  have  died  while  being  pastor.  Cape  May  people  enjoyed  preaching 
The  New  Jersey  Association  met  there  in  1830,  when  it  was  resolved: 
"To  occupy  the  court  house  for  the  business  of  the  Association  in  order 
that  the  meeting  house  might  be  used  for  preaching  while  the  Associ- 
ation was  in  session."  Five  were  appointed  to  preach  in  one  day. 
Two  in  the  morning,  two  in  the  afternoon  and  one  in  the  evening.  In 
a  session  of  tw^o  days,  seven  sermons  were  preached.  This  will  explain 
why  churches  rivaled  each  other  for  a  meeting  of  an  Association  with 
them  and  what  the  members  of  a  church  went  to  associations  for.  It 
is  stiU  true  that  sermons  command  the  largest  audiences  at  our  associ- 
ations.    Possibly  the  change  to  addresses  on  various  topics  may  explain 


350  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

the  reduced  attendance  at  these  meethigs  as  well  as  the  limited  time 
of  their  sessions.  Four  colonies  have  gone  from  first  Cape  May,  even 
though  located  on  a  narrow  strip  of  land  stretching  far  into  the  ocean. 
Four  places  of  worship  have  been  built  b}^  the  church.  The  first  in 
1715  and  lost  by  a  defect  in  the  title.  A  second  in  1741.  The  lot 
on  which  the  last  was  erected  was  the  gift  of  Jeremiah  Hand.  This 
house  was  in  use  seventy-three  years.  The  third  was  built  of  brick 
in  1824  and  was  burned  in  1854.  Immediately  afterward,  that 
now  in  use  was  undertaken  and  dedicated  in  December  1855.  In 
1761,  a  parsonage  farm  of  sixty  acres  was  bought.  In  1831,  a  new 
dwelling  house  was  built  on  the  farm  and  the  property  was  sold  in  1857. 
A  lot  was  bought  and  a  house  built  on  it  after  1867.  The  pastor  moved 
into  it  in  1868.  In  1771,  the  church  concluded  that  no  member  should 
by  any  means  sign  for  Daniel  Hand  to  have  a  tavern  license,"  and  on 
March  5th,  1775,  Hannah  Shaw  was  suspended  from  the  communion 
on  account  of  her  drinking  to  excess.  Joseph  Hildreth  in  1784,  left  a 
legacy  of  forty  pounds  to  the  church.  Twelve  pounds  were  left  by 
Mrs.  Deborah  Spicer  and  one  third  of  a  plantation  was  given  to  the 
church  and  one  third  of  John  Cresse's  movables,  valued  at  fifty  pounds, 
were  left  to  the  church.  At  least  four  members  have  been  licensed 
to  preach,  one  of  whom  was  ordained  and  became  patsor  of  the  church 
and  ministered  to  the  church  for  eleven  years. 

First  Cape  May  Baptist  church  began  a  mission  in  1729  at  Dennis- 
ville;  about  eight  miles  distant  from  the  Home  church.  They  main- 
tained the  mission  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  years,  until  a  chiirch 
was  organized  in  1849.  An  agreement  to  build  a  free  meeting  house 
was  made  by  the  citizens  in  April  1802  and  the  free  house  was  completed 
in  1803.  The  statement  of  Barber  in  his  history  of  New  Jersey  that 
this  was  a  Methodist  house  and  the  first  built  in  the  count}'  is  utterly 
false  as  are  so  many  of  his  random  utterances. 

The  first  Baptist  house  in  the  county  was  built  in  1715  and  the 
second  Baptist  house  of  worship  was  built  long  before  1785  and  the 
third  Baptist  house  was  built  in  1785.  The  house  at  Dennisville  was 
a  free  house  for  Baptists  and  Methodists  on  alternate  Lord's  Days.  This 
building  was  thus  used  till  1853,  when  the  Methodists  built  a  house  of 
worship  for  themselves  and  the  old  house  was  wholly  left  for  Baptists. 
In  1838,  the  second  Baptist  ciiurch  in  Cape  May  County  united  with 
the  first  Baptist  church  in  sustaining  the  Dennisville  Mission.  Special 
meetings  were  held  in  Dennisville  in  1848-9,  by  Rev.  H.  Wescott  <and 
Pastor  A.  J.  Wright  of  the  second  church  resulting  in  the  organization 
of  a  Baptist  church  with  thirty  constituents.  Nine  from  the  first 
church  and  twenty  from  the  second  church.     The  pastors  of  Dennis- 


DENNISVILLE  AND  WOODBINE  351 

ville  were:  M.  R.  Cox,  1849-52;  J.  E.  Wilson,  of  the  first  Ci^)e  May 
church,  1853-58;  Ephraim  Sheppard,  of  the  second  church,  1863-64; 
William  Swinden  of  the  first  Cape  May  church,  1861-63;  Joseph  Harnett 
of  the  second  church,  1863-4.  On  February  27th,  1864,  Dennisville 
voted  to  unite  with  the  Calvary  Baptist  church  of  South  Seaville  and 
the  union  of  the  churches  was  effected  on  March  13th.  This  union 
was  really  nominal.  Dennisville  keeping  its  officers,  paying  all  local 
expenses  and  its  share  of  the  pastor's  salary,  buying  a  lot  and  building 
a  house  of  worship  and  in  part,  a  parsonage. 

The  joint  pastors  were:  D.  L.  Davis,  1864-65;  C.  E.  Wilson,  1865-67; 
J.  K.  Manning,  1867-70;  J.  M.  Lyon,  1871-2;  M.  M.  Finch,  1872-76; 
C.  H.  Johnson,  1876-79;  J.  W.  Taylor,  1880-83;  William  Warlow,  1883-85 
E.  S.  Fitz,  1885-91;  E.  S.  TowTie  1891-92;  J.  A.  Klucker,  1893-94;  S.  B. 
Hiley,  1895-97;  On  July  27th,  1897  at  a  meetig  in  Dennisville,  it  was 
voted  to  apply  to  Calvary  church  for  letters  of  dismission  to  organize 
a  Baptist  church  in  South  Dennis.  On  August  14th,  1897,  sixty-one 
members  were  dismissed  and  on  August  26th,  formed  the  memorial 
Baptist  church  of  South  Dennis.  The  second  time  in  which  a  Baptist 
church  was  constituted  at  Dennisville.  Evidently  these  people  were 
of  a  variable  mind  and  made  the  organization  of  a  Baptist  church  a 
"foot  ball."  In  the  history  of  South  Dennis  church,  it  originated 
in  a  mission  of  the  first  Cape  May  church  in  1729,  one  hundred  and 
seventy-one  years  since.  There  have  been  three  organizations.  In 
1838,  a  "branch"  with  certain  liberties  of  independency  and  yet,  its 
doings  were  subject  to  review  by  the  first  Cape  May  church.  The 
branch  was  recognized  as  an  independent  body  in  1849.  Then  again, 
in  1864,  it  was  absorbed  in  the  Calvary  church  of  South  Seaville,  re- 
taining however,  its  official  rights  and  officers.  This  order  continued 
till  1897,  when  again,  it  became  the  South  Dennis  Memorial  church. 
Two  churches  have  gone  out  from  the  Calvary  church,  Goshen,  1891; 
Dias  Creek,  1891. 

One  member  of  these  bodies  has  been  licensed  to  preach  and  was 
called  to  be  pastor,  M.H.Snodgrass.  Since  1849,  nineteen  pastors  have 
ministered  in  Dennisville.  One  church  is  an  outgrowth  of  this  body. 
Woodbine.  "^Miile  the  record  of  Baptist  affairs  at  Dennisville  is  peculiar, 
it  has  been  continuous,  illustrating  the  preachers'  definition  of  the 
doctrine  of  "Perseverance  of  the  Saints"   "Take  hold  on  and  never  let  go." 

Woodbine  is  the  name  of  the  Jewish  colony,  established  by  the 
executor  of  Baron  Hersch's  will.  The  superintendent  of  the  colony,  Mr. 
Sabsorrih,  offered  Pastor  Snodgrass  of  Calvary  and  of  South  Dennis 
Baptist  churches,  two  acres  of  ground  if  a  Baptist  meeting  house  was 
built  on  it.     Several  American  families  bemg  resident  in  the  place. 


352  NEV/  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

The  offer  was  accepted  and  at  the  meeting  of  the  West  New  Jersey 
Association,  it  was  resolved:  That  the  missionary  committee  of  the 
Association  be  authorized  to  unite  with  the  Trustees  of  the  property 
in  Woodbine,  in  an  immediate  effort  to  build  a  church  edifice  on  the 
ground,  appealing  to  the  churches  and  endorsing  an  application  to  the 
State  Convention  for  a  loan  to  complete  the  work  pledging  our  associa- 
tion to  give  the  assistance  of  our  churches  as  far  as  possible.  On  Decem- 
ber 16th,  1899,  a  church  was  organized  in  the  home  of  Deacon  G.  A. 
Blake  with  nine  constituents.  The  house  of  worehip  was  finished  in 
June,  1900.  A  loan  of  half  the  cost  of  the  building  being  from  the  church 
edifice  fmid.  Pastor  Snodgrass  of  the  Calvary  church  of  Cape  May 
County  ministered  to  the  church  for  some  time.  Rev.  G.  B.  Young 
is  now  (1900)  pastor  of  the  church.  Its  future  depends  upon  the 
infusion  of  an  American  Christian  element  in  the  town.  A  church 
so  newly  constituted  has  not  accumulated  history  and  its  future  cannot 
be  predicted. 

Cape  Island  's  at  the  extreme  of  Cape  May.  A  small  stream  cuts 
off  a  section  of  the  beach  from  the  mainland,  making  it  an  island.  Ac- 
cessible by  a  steam  boat  from  Philadelphia  and  New  York.  For  many 
years,  there  was  not  a  house  of  worship  within  miles  of  the  island. 
Baptists  located  there  and  Baptist  ministers  visited  the  place.  Es- 
pecially pastors  of  first  Cape  May  Baptist  church  and  preaching  in  the 
school  house  or  dining  rooms  of  the  hotels.  Thus  it  was  tiU  1835,  when 
Rev.  Isaac  Church,  Sr.,  a  native  of  the  county,  came  back  from  Ohio 
and  settled  on  cape  May.  The  first  Baptist  chvirch  of  the  county  em- 
ploj'ed  him  as  a  missionary  and  he  made  Cape  Island  one  of  his  stations, 
once  in  four  weeks,and  as  congregations  grew,preached  once  in  two  weeks. 

In  his  record  of  these  labors,  Mr.  Church  says:  '"Inquiries  started: 
what  is  a  Baptist  and  why  is  he  a  Baptist?"  At  union  meetings,  the 
converts  were  not  all  willing  to  join  the  nearest  church.  They  insisted 
that  they  must  be  baptized  by  their  o^\ti  choice,  even  though  they 
must  travel  thirteen  miles  to  the  Baptist  church.  With  the  increase 
of  Baptists,  persecutions  began.  By  the  advice  of  Mr.  Church,  steps 
were  taken  to  organize  a  Baptist  church.  A  council  was  called  to  meet 
in  April  1844  at  the  house  of  Alexander  A.  Shaw.  The  Council  advised 
an  organization  and  twenty-five  Baptists  constituted  themselves  the 
Cape  Island  Baptist  church.  Among  whom  was  Mr.  Church.  Already 
an  eligible  lot  was  bought  and  measures  were  adopted  to  build  a  meet- 
ing house.  Rev.  Mr.  Church  was  pastor  the  first  year.  Rev.  N.  B. 
Tindle  followed  for  eighteen  months.  On  the  18th  of  July,  1847,  the 
church  edifice  was  dedicated  and  Rev.Mr.Church  was  recalled,  remaining 
until  1848.     Mr.  Church,  Sr.,  was  anxious  to  retire  and  in  June  Rev. 


CAPE  ISLAND  AND  RIO  GRANDE  353 

I.  M.  Church,  Jr.,  son  of  tlioir  former  pastor,  was  called  to  follow  his 
father  and  entered  on  his  pastoral  charge  the  next  fall. 

The  winter  after,  a  work  of  grace  broke  out,  and  the  membership 
of  Cape  Island  church  was  nearly  doubled.  Rev.  Mr.  Church  resigned 
in  October  1851,  and  in  May  1852,  Rev.  J.  P.  Hall  became  pastor  and 
closed  his  oversight  in  1854.  And  in  1857,  Rev.  J.  Hammitt  accepted 
a  call  to  be  pastor,  continuing  till  1859.  From  the  end  of  this  pastorate 
to  March  1867,  there  is  a  blaiik  in  account  of  the  welfare  of  the  church. 
From  April  of  1867,  towards  the  close  of  1868,  Rev.  J.  C.  Hyde  was 
pastor.  He  was  a  useful  pastor  and  the  church  had  more  additions 
than  in  any  other  like  period  of  its  early  history.  After  Mr.  Hyde, 
Rev.  C.  E.  Wilson  was  pastor  for  eighteen  months.  A  new  era  began 
with  the  coming  of  Pastor  Samuel  Hughes  that  began  in  1872  to  1877, 
whom  Rev.  F.  Greul  followed  in  May  1878  to  1882.  A  new  and  costly 
sanctuary  was  built  and  was  dedicated  in  1882. 

Before  Messrs.  Hughes  and  Greul  settled,  the  pastors  had  left  too 
soon  to  get  such  a  hold  of  the  communit}^  as  is  essential  to  the  most 
usefulness.  Again,  short  pastorates  were  renewed  in  1885.  Rev.  T.  P. 
Price  came  and  remained  but  one  year.  A.  N.  Whitemarsh,  two  years; 
A.  B.  McCurdy,  one  year;  \V.  H.  Burlew,  nearly  four  years.  A  legacy 
left  bj-  a  sister  in  the  church  relieved  it  of  debt.  Mr.  T.  Xeas,  one  year; 
A.  F.  Greenig,  one  year,  August  1895;  Rev.  C.  D.  Parker,  and  w^as 
pastor  in  1900.  The  church  in  1881  began  to  be  known  as  Cape  May 
City  and  is  known  by  this  name.  The  church  has  had  fourteen  pastors. 
The  longest  pastorates  have  been  the  most  successful.  Fluctuations 
of  the  population  on  the  seaside  has  a  hurtful  influence  on  permanent 
residents  and  tends  to  lowering  the  spiritual  life  of  a  church.  Two 
houses  of  worship  have  been  erected  by  the  church,  one  in  1847;  another 
larger  and  more  befitting  a  popular  resort  in  1882.  In  1898,  seventeen 
members  constituted  a  church  in  Cape  May  Point.  There  are  no 
published  reports  of  this  church  up  to  1900. 

Under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  A.  J.  Hires,  the  first  Cape  May 
Baptist  church,  at  a  considerable  cost,  built  a  chapel  at  Rio  Grande 
in  1873,  in  Cape  May  County.  Rev.  J.  M.  Craner  began  a  mission 
there,  in  1880  and  on  the  27th  of  May,  1880,  a  Baptist  church  was 
organized  wath  thirty-one  constituents  dismissed  from  first  Cape  May 
church.  It  was,  including  Dennisville,  the  third  colon}^  of  the  first 
Baptist  church  of  Cape  May.  Mr.  Craner  was  the  first  pastor  of  the 
church  for  fourteen  years.  Mr.  Craner  in  1894,  removed  to  Wildwood. 
where  a  chapel  had  been  built.  F.  St.  J.  Fitch  accepted  the  call  of  the 
church  in  1894.  H.  S.  Gilbert  settled  as  pastor  in  1895.  Supplies 
served  the  church  up  to  1900. 


354  NEW  JEIISEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Tlic  most  intimate  tio  of  Wildwood  church  to  any  other  is  to  Rio 
Grande.  Rev.  J.  M.  Craner  had  an  outloolc  for  vacant  fields  and  was 
ready  to  carry  the  message  of  life  to  those  destitute.  While  pastor 
of  Rio  Grande  church, occupying  the  chapel, which  first  Cape  May  church 
built.  In  1892,  Wildwood  as  a  central  position  won  his  attention  and 
he  began  to  preach  in  the  dining  room  of  a  hotel.  Baptists  appeared 
and  formed  a  nucleus.  He  began  to  build  a  meeting  house.  A  debt 
of  one  thousand  dollars  was  due  when  completed  in  1893.  The  newness 
of  the  field,  the  going  of  Mr.  Craner  from  Rio  Grande,  imperilled  the 
property  and  a  committee  and  Rev.  J.W.Caine  and  Mr.H.Snodgrass  were 
appointed  and  the  property  was  saved.  Under  Mr.  Caine,  about  nineteen 
Baptists  were  gathered  and  the  Baptist  church  of  Wildwood  was  formed. 

In  1831,  an  application  for  admission  to  the  West  New  Jersey 
Association  was  received  from  a  second  Cape  May  Baptist  church" 
The  request  was  referred  to  a  committee  to  report  at  the  annual  session 
in  1832.  At  that  meeting  (1832)  "it  was  unanimously  agreed  to  receive' 
the  church.  This  was  the  first  denominational  mention  of  the  existence 
of  the  second  Cape  May  Baptist  church.  The  delay  of  admitting 
the  church  was  due  to  bad  reports  about  the  pastor  of  the  church. 
Subsequent  facts  justified  the  care  of  the  Association.  The  man 
absconded,  taking  the  early  records  of  the  church  with  him. 

In  the  county  archives  reference  is  made  of  the  second  Cape  May 
Baptist  church  as  organized  in  1828.  In  1832,  it  had  forty-two  mem- 
bers. Long  before,  earlier  than  1785,  a  Baptist  house  of  worship  had 
been  built  at  Littleworth  (now  Palermo).  "One  Jeremiah  Edwards 
donated  an  acre  of  land  to  the  Ana  Baptists  of  the  Upper  precinct 
of  Cape  May  County"  on  which  to  build  a  meeting  house.  The  public 
records  of  the  colonies,  were  destroj'ed  b}'  the  English  soldiers  or  by 
their  friends,  the  Tories.  Whenever  they  could  get  hold  of  the  county 
papers  detroyed  them  and  there  is  no  record  of  the  deed,  but  it  is  a 
tradition  that  the  house  was  built  by  "sundry  contributions."  On 
August  1st,  1785,  in  a  suit  against  the  heirs  of  the  donor  of  the  ground, 
the  property  was  sold  by  the  sheriff,  which  he  bought  for  five  shillings. 
On  the  17th  of  October,  1785,  the  people  met  to  consult  about  their 
church  and  they  decided  to  reclaim  it  for  the  Ana  Baptists.  Twelve 
trustees  were  chosen  to  hold  the  property  and  they  redeemed  it  for 
the  five  shillings,  which  the  sheriff  bought  it  for  and  received  a  deed 
in  trust  for  the  Ana  Baptists  forever."  The  deed  is  dated  February  10th 
1786  and  was  not  recorded  until  June  25th,  1833.  Had  the  deed  been 
lost,  the  property  might  also  have  been  lost.  The  sale  and  purchase 
by  the  sheriff  most  likely  was  pre-arranged.  This  house  was  used 
by  the  church  till  1853. 


SECOND  CAPE  MAY  355 

If  it  had  been  in  use  five  years  when  sold,  seventy  years  would  be 
the  period  of  its  use.  The  Tuckahoe  Baptist  church  had  been  formed 
in  1771  and  their  meeting  house  had  been  built  in  1751.  Old  people, 
long  since  dead,  told  their  children  that  pastors  of  first  Cape  May, 
Tuckahoe  and  Manahawkin  preached  in  the  old  house  of  the  second 
Cape  May  church  and  the  building  must  have  been  in  use  long  before 
1785.  Of  the  twelve  trustees  chosen  in  1785,  three  were  named  Corson, 
and  at  the  reorganization  of  second  Cape  May  Baptist  church  in  1834, 
of  the  thirty-three  constituents,  nine  were  named  Corson.  Two  of 
the  trustees  in  1785  were  named  Young;  two  of  the  thirty-three  con- 
stituents in  1834  had  the  same  name.  In  1834,  the  church  had  two 
meeting  houses,  one  called  the  "Upper  House,  then  named  "Corsons," 
and  the  other,  "the  Lower  House"  at  "Townsands  Inlet,"  and  is 
now  occupied  by  the  Calvary  church.  All  of  this  indicates  the  early 
origin  of  second  Cape  May  Baptist  church.  Both  Corson's  Inlet  and 
Townsands  Inlet  were  originally  Baptist  settlements. 

These  Baptists  incorporated  in  their  covenant:  "Total  abstinence 
from  all  intoxicating  drinks."  The  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Con- 
vention sent  Rev.  Michael  Quinn,  their  missionary,  to  this  section.  He 
was  the  first  pastor  of  modern  times  of  second  Cape  May  church.  His 
stay  was  only  one  year,  but  he  baptized  sixty-nine.  Mr.  Quinn  was 
followed  b)'  a  deceiver,  causing  a  recall  of  Mr.  Quinn  and  the  church 
had  lost  ground  which  was  recovered.  An  Irishman  had  the  wit  and 
humor  of  his  countrymen.  The  writer  recalls  many  amusing  incidents 
of  him.  He  died  about  two  years  after  his  second  charge.  But  not 
till  the  church  had  called  him  to  the  pastorate  the  third  time.  The 
Convention  Board  sent  Rev.  J.  Jones  to  this  field  in  1837,  where  he 
was  pastor  eleven  years. 

Others  that  followed  were:  M.  R.  Cox,  1848-54;  Ephraim  Sheppard, 
1855-61;  E.  J.  Swain,  a  licentiate  of  the  church,  ordained  for  pastor  in 
November  1861,  compelled  by  failure  of  health  to  resign  and  died  in 
1871  of  con.sumption;  J.  Hammitt,  1863-65;  J.  T.  Hall,  1865-67;  J.A. 
Taylor,  1867-69;  C.  P.  Melleny,  1869-71;  A.  B.  Still,  1872-73;  R.  G. 
Lamb,  1873-82;  J.  G.  Entriken,  1883-87;  a  chapel  was  built  at  Tuckahoe 
in  1885  and  in  1886  the  Tuckahoe  church  was  constituted  and  th 
chapel  given  to  the  church;  M.  M.  Fogg,  1888-93;  W.  G.  Robinson, 
1894-97;  H.  J.  Roberts  served  seven  months,  1898;  resigning  to  go 
with  the  colony  to  Ocean  City.  W.  P.  Hile,  1898-1900.  Three  members 
have  been  licensed  to  preach,  one  of  them  to  become  pastor  virtually. 
Three  or  four  houses  of  worship  have  been  built.  Three  colonies 
have  become  churches.  Calvary,  in  1863;  Tuckahoe,  in  1886, 
and    Ocean    City,    in    1898.        To    two    of    these    it    gave    houses^ 


356  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  worship  and  to  the  hist  its  pastor.  The  church  has  had  seventeen 
pastors,  one  of  whom  was  compelled  by  ill  health  to  resign.  Another 
was  pastor  twice  and  was  prevented  by  his  death  from  a  third  charge 
and  another  went  with  one  of  the  colonies. 

While  Rev.  J.  G.  Entrekin  was  pastor  of  second  Cape  May  church 
he  included  Tuckahoe  in  his  field  and  in  1885,  secured  the  erection  of 
a  chapel  for  Baptist  use.  Where  a  Sunday  school  was  formed  and  he 
preached  each  Lord's  Day.  A  large  proportion  of  the  early  settlers  on 
the  southern  sea  coast  were  Baptists.  First  Cape  May  church  was 
constituted  in  1712,  Manahawkin  in  1770  and  Tuckahoe  in  1771.  The 
early  Tuckahoe  had  a  church  edifice.  A  Baptist  element  survived 
the  disasters  of  the  early  days,  which  Mr.  Entrekin  influenced  to  begin 
anew. 

The  scond  Cape  May  church  voted  in  1839  for  the  pastor  to  preach 
twice  each  month  in  Tuckahoe  and  to  administer  the  communion  once 
in  two  months.  Evidently  there  were  Baptists  in  sufficient  number 
there  then  to  make  this  action  of  the  church  desirable.  The  use  of  the 
Presbyterian  house  of  w-orship  was  obtained  and  pastors  Still  and  Lamb 
preached  in  it.  But  finally,  "for  peace  sake,"  gave  up  the  collection 
of  funds  to  build  a  Baptist  chapel.  Baptists  bought.  In  1887,  Mr. 
Entrekin  resigned  at  second  Cape  May  church  and  gave  himself  entirely 
to  Tuckahoe.  Including  his  first  ministry  in  1884  to  his  closing  labors 
in  1892,  Mr.  Entrekin  gave  about  eight  years  to  Tuckahoe.  The  old 
site  of  the  village  of  Tuckahoe  is  overgro-^^'n  with  timber.  The  new 
village  is  several  miles  distant  from  the  former  town  and  is  divided  by 
a  river  that  is  the  boundary  of  two  counties.  The  house  of  worship  is 
in  Atlantic  County.  Mr.  Entrekin  was  followed  by  Rev.  M.  Frayne  in 
1893  and  continued  as  pastor  till  1901,  when  he  became  pastor  at  Rio 
Grande,  where  he  died,  April,  1903.  The  church  has  had  only  the  two 
pastors. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 


CAMDEN  CHURCHES. 

We  are  indebted  to  Pastor  J.  W.  Lyell  of  the  first  Baptist  church, 
Camden  for  the  earUest  pubHshed  memorial  of  the  beginning  and 
growth  of  Baptist  movements  in  Camden,  New  Jersey.  In  a  prefatory 
note  he  states:  "The  original  records  of  the  first  Baptist  church  in 
Camden,  New  Jersey,  were  for  many  years  inaccessible.  *  *  *  At 
cost  of  time  and  effort  Rev.  I.  C.  Wynn  collected  from  all  available 
sources  a  large  mass  of  historical  material  and  presented  the  same  in 
an  anniversary  sermon  in  April  1885.  An  old  record  book  covering 
the  first  twelve  years  of  history  was  found  in  1892.  On  February  5th, 
1892,  the  seventy-fifth  anniversary  of  the  organization  of  the  church 
was  celebrated  with  appropriate  exercises,  among  which  was  a  review 
of  the  past  based  upon  the  work  of  Pastor  Wynn  augmented  by  the 
recently  discovered  material." 

Pastor  Lyell  has  given  to  us  the  early  history  of  Baptist  affairs  in 
Camden.  On  February  5th,  1818,  seven  Baptists  in  Camden  consti- 
tuted themselves  a  Baptist  church  in  the  city.  Originally  these  were 
from  Cohansie  and  Salem  and  had  joined  the  first  Baptist  church  in 
Philadelphia.  Three  of  the  seven  were  Sheppards,  descendants  of  the 
constituents  of  Cohansie  church.  An  Academy  was  allowed  to  them  as 
a  place  of  worship.  Rev.  H.  Holcombe,  pastor  of  the  first  church  of 
Philadelphia,  and  Rev.  William  Rogers,  a  former  pastor  and  professor 
in  Pennsylvania  University,  each  preached  in  Camden.  The  crossing 
of  the  river  was  a  serious  matter,  the  river  was  wide;  the  tide  swift  and 
strong  and  long  detours  were  necessary  above  or  below  islands,  especially 
in  winter,  when  ice  filled  the  river. 

The  writer  recalls  when  an  entire  day  was  necessary  to  pass  from 
shore  to  shore.  Pastor  Lyell  publishes  a  letter  by  Mr.  S.  B.  Sheppard 
stating  an  incident  of  the  perils  these  disciples  risked  to  go  to  the  House 
of  God.  Despite  discouragements  they  "rarely  missed  a  Lord's  day." 
Three  of  them  kept  a  boat  for  crossing  the  river  on  the  Sabbath.  One 
day,  returning  from  meeting  an  unexpected  flaw  of  wind  struck  and 
capsized  the  boat.  Ten  of  them  got  on  its  bottom,  but  Mr.  Smith  did 
not  appear.  Mr.  Sheppard  left  the  boat  to  find  his  companion,  whom 
he  found  under  the  boat  tangled  in  rope.  He  got  him  out  and  with 
the  aid  of  Page  got  him  on  the  boat.  They  remained  till  help  came 
from  the  shore.     Such  risks  in  the  service  of  God,  indicate  the  caste 


358  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  the  men  and  women  who  laid  the  foundations  on  which  we  build. 
Neither  is  it  a  surprise  that  such  cheerfully  assumed  the  responsibility 
of  becoming  a  church  of  Christ.  In  reply  to  their  application  for 
letters  of  dismission  to  constitute  a  church  in  Camden,  Mr.  Holcombe 
wrote  to  them  as  follows: 

"We  have  received  your  affectionate  application  for  a  dismissal 
from  us  that  you  may  form  a  religious  body  in  Camden.  Not  doubting 
your  full  persuasion  that  existing  circumstances  justify  this  important 
measure,  we  agree  without  a  dissenting  voice,  that  your  endearing 
relation  to  us  as  our  members,  shall  be  honorably  dissolved  in  the 
moment  of  your  becoming  a  regularly  constituted  church  of  our  faith 
and  order.  *  *  Our  hearts  desire  and  prayer  to  God  is,  that  you 
may  prosper  and  prove  a  blessing  to  thousands  in  your  community. 

*  *  *  Suffer  a  word  of  exhortation :  Let  your  moderation  be  known 
to  all  men  and  be  at  peace  among  yourselves.  Be  guided  implicitly 
by  the  Scriptures.     *     *     Seek  and  support  an  evangelical  ministry. 

*  *  *  Regard  truth,  honesty,  quietness,  temperance,  industry 
and  economy  as  virtues  essential  to  the  Christian  character.  *  *  * 
Should  you  plant  and  water  with  little  success,  call  to  your  aid,  patience 
and  perseverance;  consider  the  Lord's  method  of  choosing  both  the 
time  and  means  of  carrying  his  gracious  purposes  into  effect.  In  1689, 
we  as  a  body  consisted  of  but  nine  members.  Betwixt  that  and  the 
seven  churches  which  have  gone  out  from  us  and  now  we  have  between 
four  and  five  hundred  members  in  great  harmony  and  replenished  with 
accessions  by  baptism  and  letters.  We  cannot  say:  'O,  that  it  was 
with  us  as  in  days  that  are  past.'  *  *  *  We  conclude  with  the 
assurance  that  you  will  not,  beloved  brethren  and  sisters,  be  forgotten 
by  us  whenever  we  remember  ourselves  before  the  throne  of  grace. 
By  order  and  in  behalf  of  the  church,  Henry  Holcombe,  pastor  of  the 
first  Baptist  church,  Philadelphia."  On  the  next  day,  February  5th, 
1818,  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Camden  was  organized.  Previously,  on 
January  5th,  five  believers  had  been  baptized  by  Rev.  D.  James.  These 
immediately  united  with  the  church. 

In  the  ensuing  May,  Mr.  James  was  called  to  be  pastor.  As  it 
has  been  since  the  days  of  the  Nazarene,  opposition  and  persecution 
by  so  called  Christians  of  other  names  than  Baptists  closed  the  doors 
of  the  Academy  against  the  little  band.  These  were  Baptists  and 
dangerous,  even  though  few  in  number.  Did  they  not  insist  upon  the 
supremacy  of  the  Scriptures  to  creeds  and  the  right  of  each  to  hold 
and  teach  his  o-mi  convictions  of  truth  and  duty,  the  Bible  being  their 
authority?  Persecution  had  its  usual  result,  opposition  advertised 
Baptists.     Opposition  awakened  inquiry.     Private  houses  were  opened 


FIRST  CAMDEN.  359 

for  worship  and  in  place  of  one,  many  witnessed  of  the  Grace  of  God. 
A  church  edifice  became  a  necessity  and  it  was  erected  in  1818  before 
the  church  was  a  year  old. 

Modest  in  appearance,  it  was  a  foothold  and  a  fulcrum  for  Gospel 
leverage  to  turn  numbers  to  righteousness  and  to  Baptist  ideas.  Mr. 
James  w;is  pastor  only  about  six  months.  A  great  sorrow  came  to  the 
church  in  parting  with  him.  The  custom  of  intoxicants  became  a 
snare  to  the  good  man.  The  minute  of  the  action  of  the  church  was: 
"We  wish  to  be  as  tender  with  him  as  possible  and  not  debar  him  from 
preaching,  wherever  he  may  be  called  to  do  so,  if  he  think  proper. 
Only  here,  we  believe  his  usefulness  to  be  at  an  end,  except  grace  prevent 
or  a  great  change  for  the  better  takes  place." 

The  people  of  this  church  were  evidently  true  to  the  Gospel  and  to 
the  best  welfare  of  the  church;  no  less  did  they  show  gentleness  and 
patience  toward  a  brother  "overtaken  in  a  fault,"  in  times,  when  not 
to  drink  was  discourtesy,  and  when  not  to  offer  a  bottle  or  a  glass  to 
neighbor  and  friend  was  to  be  ostracized  from  social  life.  It  is  almost 
incredible  how  many  noble  and  good  men  were  overtaken  by  the  drink 
habit.  Mr.  John  Cooper  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  three  months  later 
was  ordained.  He  resigned  about  the  end  of  1819.  Rev.  T.  J.  Kitts 
was  pastor  for  two  years  and  supplied  the  church  for  months  after 
resigning.  The  second  year  of  his  engagement,  his  salary  was  one 
dollar  for  each  sermon. 

In  January  1823,  Mr.  C.  J.  Hopkins  was  called  and  was  ordained 
in  the  next  May  for  the  pastoral  office.  He  held  the  pastorate  for 
about  one  and  a  half  years.  Mr.  Hopkins  had  been  called  into  the 
ministry  under  Pastor  Holcombe  of  the  first  church,  Philadelphia. 
The  incident  of  his  first  attempt  to  preach  was  told  to  the  writer  by 
Mr.  Hopkins.  At  a  given  church  meeting  Mr.  Holcombe  said:  "Brethren, 
I  think  we  have  a  young  man  whom  God  has  called  to  preach  and 
suggested  that  a  time  be  set  to  hear  him,  I  refer  to  our  Brother  Hopkins.' 
Mr.  Hopkins  was  astounded  at  the  mention  of  his  name.  The  next 
morning  he  called  on  Mr.  Holcombe  and  protested  that  he  could  not 
and  would  not  undertake  keeping  the  appointment.  Mr.  Holcombe 
drew  from  him  that  he  had  been  thinking  on  the  subject.  Walking 
to  and  fro,  the  pastor  said:  "Here  are  books,  think  up  a  text.  Come 
here  and  use  my  study."  And  while  speaking  and  near  the  door  slipped 
out  and  turned  the  key.  The  pastor  returned  and  Mr.  Hopkins  escaped, 
still  protesting  that  he  would  not  be  at  the  meeting.  Its  hour  came; 
Hopkins  loitered  in  the  dark.  The  church  house  was  large.  In  each 
corner  was  a  huge  stove,  and  Hopkins  watching,  slipped  in  and  hid 
behind  the  stove.     When  the  hour  came  to  open  the  meetig,  the  pastor 


360  NEW  JERSEY  BAPIST  HISTORY 

arose  and  said:  "Come  fonvard  Brother  Hopkins."  Beckoning  to  where 
he  was.  There  was  no  escape.  Hopkins  went  forward,  conducted 
the  opening  exercises,  announced  his  text,  read  it  again  and  again,  and 
the  fourth  time  stood  still;  read  the  text  the  fifth  time  and  then  grabbed 
his  hat  and  shot  out  the  side  door. 

The  people  smiled.  The  pastor  arose  and  said:  "Brethren,  I  am 
now  surer  that  Brother  Hopkins  is  called  to  preach.  He  already  knows 
enough,  and  it  was  good  if  more  of  us  knew  it;  enough  to  stop  when  he 
gets  through."  After  speaking  on  the  text,  another  time  was  set  to 
hear  Mr.  Hopkins.  In  due  time  he  was  licensed.  In  the  forty  years 
of  his  ministry  he  was  esteemed  as  a  "good  and  able"  minister  of  the 
Gospel  despite  the  humor  and  witticisms  that  extorted  a  smile  or  a 
shock  in  his  hearers.  Mr.  Hopkins  resigned  in  Camden  in  September 
1824.  A  long  interval  followed,  in  which  supplies  ministered,  one  of 
them,  Mr.  Hopkins.  Allusion  in  the  minute  book  is  made  to  Mr.  John 
Sisty  and  to  Ezekiel  Sexton,  both  of  them  were  helpers.  Both  of  them 
did  a  great  work  for  Baptists  and  the  churches,  and  both  had  in- 
fluence with  Holcombe  and  Brantly.  The  time  of  supplies  terminated 
in  1829,  when  Mr.  Mobert  Compton  was  then  called  to  be  pastor.  He 
resigned  in  1832. 

Short  pastorates  were  not  due  to  the  love  of  change,  but  usually 
to  small  salaries.  Pastors  and  their  families  endured  extreme  privations. 
Both  pastors  and  churches  suffered  serious  hardships  rather  than  part. 
In  1833,  fifty-eight  were  baptized  and  as  many  the  next  year.  Rev. 
Mr.  Sheppard  removed  to  Camden  in  1836  and  became  pastor.  At  the 
seasons  of  spiritual  interest  in  1833-4,  as  many  as  eight  ministers  are 
named  as  aiding  in  the  work.  Rev.  W.  T.  Brantly,  Sr.,  introduced  into 
the  North  the  custom  of  big  meetings.  The  -wTiter  recalls  the  surprise 
of  the  membership  of  the  first  Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia,  when 
Rev.  Mr.  Brantly  introduced  Rev.  R.  Fuller,  who  would  hold  special 
meetings  alone.  During  seven  years  first  Camden  had  various  experi- 
ences of  gain  and  loss,  of  financial  strait  and  of  spiritual  depression. 
In  these  years,  a  pledge  of  abstinence  from  intoxicants  was  made  a 
test  of  membership. 

A  new  and  spacious  church  edifice  was  built  and  dedicated  in 
1841-42.  In  1843,  came  the  harvest  of  these  weary  years.  Rev.  T.  R. 
Taylor,  Sr.,  was  called  and  was  ordained  to  be  pastor  in  April  1843. 
His  charge  was  for  eleven  years  and  was  an  era  in  the  church  history. 
Three  hundred  and  sixty  seven  were  baptized,  an  annual  average  of 
thirty-three.  One  day  a  drunken  man  came  into  the  church  and  made 
a  disturbance.  Spoken  to  several  times  by  the  pastor,  who  said  at 
last:  "If  }^ou  disturb  us  again,  I  will  put  you  out  of  the  house."     As 


FIRST  CAMDEN  361 

the  trouble  occurred  again,  Mr.  Taylor,  from  the  midst  of  his  sermon 
went  to  the  man,  marched  him  to  the  door  and  put  him  out,  returning, 
he  finished  his  sermon. 

In  1848,  forty-four  were  dismissed  to  constitute  the  second  church. 
In  1854,  Rev.  J.  Duncan  settled  as  pastor  and  resigned  in  1857.  From 
1856,  said  by  a  late  historian,  the  only  marked  activity  was  the  change 
of  pastors.  "Duncan  goes,  Mirack  comes,  Darrow  comes  and  goes  and 
Furgurson  comes."  That  year  marked  the  coming  of  a  stranger  to  be 
pastor,  Rev.  G.  G.  Furgurson.  This  gentleman  had  the  needful 
gifts  to  draw  a  crowd.  There  was  not  even  standing  room  for  the 
multitude  that  waited  on  his  ministry.  A  large  and  new  house  was 
undertaken  in  place  of  that  now  being  used  by  the  church.  But  before 
its  completion,  ill  reports  about  Mr.  Furgurson  divided  the  church. 
One  hundred  and  fifty-five  members  withdrew  in  1861  and  organized 
the  Tabernacle  church.  Mr.  Furgurson  went  with  the  colony.  Event- 
ually he  was  lost  to  sight  and  to  knowledge. 

The  first  church  railed  in  1862  and  called  Rev.  B.  F.  Hedden  to 
be  pastor.  His  work  was  first  restoration,  endowed  with  the  gifts  of 
healing.  He  was  a  messenger  whom  the  King  in  Zion  honored  by 
making  him  his  instrument  to  diffuse  gladness,  unity  and  peace,  in 
place  of  sorrow  and  discord.  Having  done  this  he  retired  with  the 
blessed  reward  of  the  peacemaker.  In  1866,  Rev.  F.  B.  Rose  became 
pastor.  The  third  year  of  his  charge  developed  a  controversy.  The 
trustees  claiming  that  they  represented  the  first  Baptist  church;  shut 
the  doors  of  the  meeting  house  against  the  pastor  and  the  congregation. 
After  a  hearing  in  the  courts  the  action  of  the  trustees  was  reversed 
and  a  mutual  council  indorsed  the  decision  of  the  courts  and  the  church 
reoccupied  their  house  of  worship.  Each  party  having  agreed  to  abide 
by  the  decision  of  the  mutual  council.  In  due  time,  the  members 
represented  by  the  trustees  organized  themselves  into  the  Trinity 
Baptist  church.  Both  bodies  have  pursued  the  "things  that  make 
for  peace."  An  alienation  that  threatened  evil,  has  proved  an  illus- 
tration of  the  Christian  charity,  which  "Doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly, 
is  not  provoked  and  thinketh  no  evil." 

A  letter  was  addressed  by  the  first  church  to  the  Tabernacle  church 
in  April  1871,  inviting  a  consolidation  of  the  two  bodies.  This  invi- 
tation was  accepted  by  the  Tabernacle  church  and  soon  after,  they 
worshipped  together  and  later  became  one.  The  union  of  the  churches 
was  effected  in  1872  and  Rev.  I.  C.  Wynn  was  pastor,  a  mutual  choice. 
Mr.  Wynn  died  in  S.  C.  on  April  19th,  1889,  having  been  pastor  of 
Tabernacle  church  since  July  1st,  1870  and  of  the  united  bodis  from 
June  4th,  1871  in  all,  nearly  nineteen  years.     His  successor  said  of 


362  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

him:  "I.  C.  Wynn  has  linked  his  name  forever  with  the  first  Baptist 
church  of  Camden.  The  same  is  true  also  of  Rev.  T.  R.  Taylor,  Sr., 
whose  pastorate  was  eleven  years. 

An  interval  of  months  followed,  but  on  January  1st,  1890,  Rev. 
J.  W.  Lyell  entered  the  pastorate  and  is  now  (1900)  pastor.  Rev. 
Mr.  Holcombe  in  his  letter  to  the  seven  dismissed  members,  counselled 
these  men  and  women:  "Never  despise  the  day  of  small  things."  There 
are  now  in  Camden  fourteen  Baptist  churches..  The  first  Baptist 
church  of  Camden  is  an  influential  body.  The  union  was  complete. 
Mr.  Wynn  had  good  common  sense,  was  unusually  winning  inmanner, 
gentle  in  speech  and  yet  not  a  straddler;  he  was  fitted  to  handle  wisely 
the  complications  between  the  united  churches,  as  well  as  any  com- 
plications between  the  first  and  the  Trinity  churches.  Not  only  four- 
teen churches  but  twelve  pastors.  Several  of  these  churches  worship 
in  sanctuaries  that  would  command  attention  in  any  city  of  the  land. 
Their  congregations  include  men  and  women  of  wealth,  culture,  official 
station  and  piety  equal  to  any  other  city. 

Twenty  pastors  have  ministared  to  the  First  church.  I.  C.  Wynn 
was  pastor  nineteen  years,  till  he  died;  Mr.  Taylor  was  pastor  eleven 
years;  Mr.  Lyell,  eleven  years,  including  1900  and  is  still  pastor.  Of 
the  deacons,  two,  C.  Sexton  and  E.  V.  Glover  were  pastors.  Mr. 
Glover  was  pastor  of  churches  which  but  for  his  financial  aid,  social 
influence  and  devoted  labors  would  have  become  extinct.  Three  houses 
of  wor-ship  have  been  erected  by  the  First  church,  one  in  1818.  A 
second  in  1841-2;  another,  that  is  now  in  use;  also  several  mission  chapels. 
Baptists  have  gone  West.  Richard  Johnson  and  Isaac  Smith  were  each 
of  the  original  seven.  Mr.  Sheppard  was  an  efficient  financial  helper. 
E.  K.  Fortinerhad  been  a  member  of  the  church  sixty  years  and  deacon 
and  Sunday  school  superintendent  for  more  than  fifty  years.  William 
J.  Coxey  has  had  a  remarkable  and  exceptional  career  as  philanthropist, 
mission  worker  and  has  secured  the  erection  of  at  least  thirteen  church 
edifices.  In  the  city  the  colored  Baptists  and  in  outlying  districts 
have  received  most  efficient  aid.  Samuel  F.  Rudderow  has  also  been 
most  efficient  in  mission  movements. 

In  1848,  forty-four  members  of  the  First  Baptist  church  under 
Rev.  T.  R.  Taylor,  Sr.,  were  dismissed  to  constitute  the  Second  Baptist 
church  in  Camden.  South  Camden  had  for  a  long  time  impressed 
some  Baptists  as  a  mission  field,  needing  a  Baptist  church.  Such  a 
conviction  impelled  the  founding  of  a  Second  Baptist  church.  Rev. 
M.  M.  Semple  became  pastor  soon  after  the  church  was  organized,  in 
1843.  He  was  succeeded  by  pastors  T.  C.  Trotter,  who  was  ordained 
and  pastor  one  year;    T.  Goodwin,  two  years  to  1854;   T.  C.  Cailhopper 


SECOND  CAMDEN  363 

five  years,  1860;  C.  Sexton,  one  year;  J.  C.  Hyde,  two  years;  M.  11. 
Watkinson,  two  years;  C.  M.  Deitz,  two  years  to  1868;  S.  Hughes,  one 
year;  W.  W.  Dalby,  five  years  to  1876;  M.  M.  Finch,  one  year;  William 
Lawrence,  one  year;  J.  D.  Flansburg,  ten  years  to  1892;  J.  N.  Folwell, 
two  years.  An  expiration  of  these  many  and  short  pastorates  with 
one  exception,  was  the  folly  of  building  a  costly  house  of  worship  and 
an  enormous  debt. 

These  pastors  were  good  and  true  men  and  were  prospered  as 
circumstances  allowed.  Under  Mr.  Trotter,  a  meeting  house  was  built 
in  Stockton  next  year  and  under  Mr.  Goodwin, a  member  was  licensed 
to  preach  and  nine  members  were  dismissed  to  constitute  a  church  there. 
Mr.  Cailhopper  enjoyed  almost  continually,  a  revival  season  for  four 
years  of  his  charge.  Mr.  Hughes  strove  manfully  to  avert  the  coming 
wreck,  but  gave  it  up  as  hopeless.  Mr.  Dalby  also  enjoyed  for  five 
years  the  hardship  of  keeping  the  patient  alive,  which  continuous 
revivals  could  not  avert.  The  process  of  stimulants  went  on  till  under 
Mr.  Folwell  the  church  disbanded  and  in  1894,  the  property  was  sold 
by  the  sheriff. 

The  necessity  of  a  Baptist  church  in  the  location  of  the  Second 
church  was  patent  to  all  and  a  meeting  was  called  on  April  27th,  1894, 
to  organize  a  new  church.  About  forty  were  present.  After  the 
meeting  was  organized,  a  church  was  formed  and  the  body  named  the 
Emmanuel  Baptist  church  of  Camden,  N.  J.  Rev.  J.  N.  Folwell  was 
called  to  be  pastor  and  Mr.  H.  C.  Goldsmith  was  chosen  clerk.  A 
committee  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  company  which  had  bought 
the  house  of  the  Second  church  to  learn  on  what  terms  that  property 
could  be  bought.  Later,  the  property  was  bought.  The  church  was 
constituted  with  sixty-two  members.  Mr.  Folwell  was  pastor  for 
three  years,  assigning  a  reason  for  his  resignation,  his  increasing  years 
and  a  purpose  to  retire  from  the  activities  of  the  ministry.  No  ex- 
ception, however,  had  been  taken  by  his  people  to  his  advanced  age. 
But  the  contrary,  since  years  added  to  the  wisdom  of  his  councils  and 
to  the  efficiency  of  his  ministry.  At  the  meeting  in  which  Mr.  Folwell 
resigned.  Rev.  John  Snape  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  began  his  work 
in  June  1894.  After  the  constitution  of  the  Second  church,  Camden, 
they  built  a  comfortable  brick  church  edifice  and  while  occupying  it 
had  a  wholesome  growth.  But  an  appetite  for  better  surroundings 
led  them  to  sell  their  good  house  of  worship  in  1867  and  to  build  a 
larger  and  expensive  place  of  worship  and  without  regard  to  their 
financial  ability  to  pay  for  it.  About  forty  years  pa.ssed  of  strait, 
sorrow,  and  trouble  and  at  last,  despair  and  disbanding.  A  parsonage 
was  o^Tied  by  the  Second  church,  but  when  built,  or  bouglit,  is  not 


364  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

known.  Second  Camden  sent  out  two  colonies,  Stockton,  1885,  to 
which  they  dismissed  nine  of  the  twelve  constituents.  The  name  of 
Stockton  was  changed  to  Third  Camden.  Also,  Broadway,  to  which 
forty-five  were  dismissed  in  1867.  Second  Camden  was  composed 
of  earnest  Christian  people. 

Had  they  been  content  with  their  old  house,  enlarged  and  im- 
proved within  their  means,  till  able  to  build  and  pay  for  such  a  house 
as  they  needed,  the  church  would  have  been  a  constant  power  for  good 
and  blessing  till  now.  Two  of  its  members  have  been  licensed  to 
preach.  One  of  whom,  T.  R.  Taylor,  Jr.,  having  the  name  of  his  father, 
a  pastor  of  the  First  church,  whose  charge  was  the  turning  point  of  its 
history  and  who  renews  the  endearment  of  his  father's  name  in  New 
Jersey.  The  Emmanuel  church  is  the  lineal  descendant  of  the  Second 
church  and  inheritor  of  the  memory  and  work  of  that  body.  Rev. 
D.  C.  Da^^s  settled  as  pastor  of  Immanuel  church  in  1900.  Both 
churches  have  had  sixteen  pastors,  each  of  them  good  and  useful  men. 
There  are  lessons  in  this  history  not  to  be  forgotten  or  overlooked. 
"Business  sense,"  is  as  essential  in  the  cause  of  God,  as  in  the  conduct 
of  secular  interests. 

"Counting  the  cost,"  in  laying  foundations  in  the  Kingdom  of  God, 
has  returns  in  prosperity.  Faith  that  God  will  overrule  our  follies  in 
serving  him  and  that  for  His  name's  sake,  and  on  account  of  his  promise, 
make  our  absurdities  a  success,  is  a  delusion  and  a  folly.  The  Master 
himself,  reproved  such.  In  his  reply  to  Satan's  invitation  to  cast  him- 
self do-v\-n  from  the  Temple:  he  answered  Satan's  assumption:  "Thou 
Shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord.  Thy  God." 

In  the  history  of  the  Second  Baptist  church,  Camden,  mention  is 
made  of  the  building  of  a  house  of  worship  at  Stockton  in  1854.  At 
a  meeting  at  the  house  of  John  Shill,  on  July  14th,  1852,  a  Baptist 
Society  was  formed  consisting  of  nine  members  of  the  Second  Baptist 
church  of  Camden  including  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shill  and  Rev.  T.  C.  Trotter. 
Three  of  the  number,  including  Rev.  Mr.  Trotter,  were  appointed  a 
building  committee.  Next  August,  a  Sunday  school  was  formed, 
meeting  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Shill  until  the  house  of  worship  was  com- 
pleted which  was  in  1854.  This  building  cost  this  little  company 
great  sacrifices  and  was  finished  by  contributions  of  labor  and  material, 
such  as  each  could  give  or  secure  from  personal  friends.  After  a  year 
had  gone  in  July,  1855,  these  disciples  assumed  the  responsibility  of  an 
organized  church. 

Previous  to  the  organization  of  a  church,  Rev.  T.  C.  Trotter  preached 
to  such  congregations  as  met.  How  long  after  the  church  was  consti- 
tuted and  if  as  pastor,  is  not  written.     Rev.  Mr.  James  appeared  to 


STOCKTON,   OK  THIRD  CAMDEN  365 

have  a  vital  relation  to  the  new  church,  inasmuch  as  his  labors  arc 
spoken  of  as  ended.  Mr.  Patton  was  recognized  on  December  15th, 
1855.  His  stay  was  that  of  months  only,  and  Mr.  James  resumed  his 
labors  with  the  church  for  possibly  a  year.  During  this  period,  however, 
Mr.  Trotter  administered  the  ordinances.  June  1861,  Rev.  E.  V. 
Glover  was  called  and  was  ordained  in  July  1861.  Mr.  Glover  was  a 
man  of  rare  worth;  of  good  business  and  executive  qualities  and  having 
a  competency  that  allowed  him  to  serve  a  church,  the  salar)^  of  which 
did  not  suffice  for  a  living.  Thus  his  financial  independence,  his  place 
in  social  life  and  his  acquaintance  with  men  gave  him  power  with 
men  and  cranks  to  bring  things  to  pass.  A  clergyman  wrote  of  Mr. 
Glover  and  said:  "Only  an  infinite  pen  can  write  an  estimate  of  the 
power  of  Rev.  E.  V.  Glover  with  this  church.  For  seven  years  he 
labored  with  them,  sharing  and  bearing  their  sorrows.  *  *  *  jjjg 
going  to  and  fro  in  his  carriage  filled  with  comforts  and  nourishment 
for  the  poor  and  sick  of  the  neighbors.  His  money  was  poured  out  as 
seed  on  this  field  from  which  we  gather  good  to-day.."  Mrs.  Glover, 
like  her  husband,  delighted  in  like  work  of  mercy  and  blessing. 

They  have  long  since  known  the  reward  to  whom  it  is  said:  "In- 
asmuch as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  did  it  unto  Me." 
Under  such  a  pastor  the  house  of  worship  underwent  a  renovation. 
Members  found  their  place.  The  church  was  of  one  accord  and  con- 
verts were  multiplied.  More  room  was  needed  and  a  question  of  an 
enlarged  church  edifice,  or  a  new  location  and  a  better  house  was  de- 
cided in  favor  of  a  new  location  and  a  better  house.  On  April  3rd,  1864, 
a  new  church  building,  was  dedicated.  Pastor  Glover  resigned  in 
November  1868,  and  removed  West.  A  membership  of  twenty-four 
was  increased  in  his  pastorate  of  seven  years  to  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
three.  A  successor  says  of  his  pastorate:  "It  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  his  pastorate  stands  unrivalled  amidst  many  others  (of  that  church) 
before  or  since;  preaching  part  of  the  time  without  salary;  for  wise 
leadership  and  for  devotion  to  the  cause  of  Christ." 

Rev.  J.  N.  Folwell  followed  Mr.  Glover.  But  illness  shortened 
his  charge  to  a  few  months.  In  August  29th,  1870,  Mr.  Glover  returned 
to  Camden  and  was  recalled.  In  April  1871,  the  name  of  the  church 
was  changed  to  Third  Camden.  About  this  time,  Mr.  Glover  resigned 
and  was  followed  by  Rev.  H.  B.  Raybold,  whose  stay  was  but  four 
months.  Again,  for  the  third  time,  Mr.  Glover  was  called  in  1872  and 
resigned  twice  in  1873  and  in  1875.  His  removal  from  Camden  effected 
a  separation.  None  knowing  Mr.  Glover,  wonder  at  the  pertinacity 
with  which  churches  clung  to  him,  when  once  they  had  known  him  as 
pastor.     Such  men  are  only  occasional. 


366  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

In  1876,  two  were  called  to  be  pastors  and  each  declined.  Mr. 
R.  W.  Perkins  was  ordained  on  October  11th,  1877,  and  held  the  pas- 
toral office.  In  1882,  he  was  called  away,  but  the  church  declined  to 
accept  his  resignation.  Again  in  1888,  he  was  called  away  and  accepted 
the  call.  Eleven  years  of  service  at  Third  Camden  church  came  thus 
to  a  close.  Rev.  C.  W.  Ray  served  the  Third  church  in  Camden  for  a 
year  and  more.  Rev.  R.  W.  West  supplied  the  pulpit  for  a  year,  when 
Rev.  J.  S.  Teasdale  accepted  a  call,  but  ill  health  terminated  his  labors 
in  Jul}'  1892.  Mr.  J.  Snape  followed  and  was  ordained  November 
22,  1894.  Divers  improvements  were  made  in  the  church  building. 
At  the  end  of  three  years,  Mr.  Snapc  resigned  in  1897.  Several  young 
men  were  licensed  to  preach  while  he  was  pastor  and  he  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  George  Hine,  who  remained  until  July  1899. 

On  July  12th,  1899,  Rev.  G.  C.  Horter  became  pastor  and  held  the 
office  till  in  1900  The  third  Baptist  church  of  Camden  originated  in 
the  mission  spirit  of  the  second  Baptist  church.  Its  history  accords 
with  that  of  its  origin  and  despite  many  discouragements,  has  grown 
into  an  efficient  and  helpful  body.  Its  first  sanctuary  has  been  supplant- 
ed by  one  larger  and  better  fitted  for  the  uses  of  a  church.  That  too, 
has  been  enlarged  for  the  more  active  church  life  of  the  times.  Some- 
thing of  the  contrasts  of  the  beginning  and  now,  is  signified  by  the 
building  of  the  first  house.  One  agreed  to  furnish  the  bricks.  Another 
the  lumber;  another  the  doors;  another  "to  make  two  window  sashes, 
free  gratis." 

What  will  be  the  estimate,  which  the  Master  will  make  of  these 
tokens  of  consecration?  Certainly  not  less  than  recognition  of  them. 
The  church  has  had  eighteen  pastors.  Nine  ministered  less  than  one 
year.  One,  Mr.  Glover  was  pastor  three  times  and  twice  removed 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  church  and  where  they  could  not  reach  him. 
His  entire  charge  continued  thirteen  years  and  part  of  the  time  he 
preached  as  pastor  without  a  salarj'.  Two  others,  were  pastors  twice 
each.  Mr.  Perkens  was  pastor  eleven  years,  and  had  he  submitted 
his  second  call  to  the  church,  as  he  did  his  first,  to  decide  upon  its 
acceptance,  he  might  have  been  pastor  till  now.  In  these  longest 
pastoral  oversight,  cluster  the  most  fruitful  and  happy  periods  of  the 
church  history. 

A  colony  of  forty-five  members  of  the  Second  Camden  Baptist 
church,  including  its  pastor,  M.  R.  Watkinson,  were  dismissed  in  1867 
and  constituted  themselves  the  Broadway  Baptist  church  of  Camden. 
Reasons  for  the  movement  are  unwritten.  Mr.  Watkinson  was  pastor 
1867-70;  E.  E.  Jones,  1872;  A.  J.  Hay,  1872-74;  C.  H.  Johnson,  1874-76; 
E.  D.  Stager,  1877-78.     In  1878,  the  name  of  Broadway  church  dis- 


TABERNACLE  AND  NORTH  CAMDEN  367 

appears  from  the  minutes  of  the  Association.  Rev.  J.  M.  Carpenter 
states  that  the  church  disbanded  in  1876.  A  Tabernacle  church  reports 
itself  as  recognized  in  1878  and  for  pastor,  Rev.  E.  D.  Stager,  whose 
settlement  is  reported  in  October  1877.  The  same  date  as  becoming 
ptistor  at  Broadway  church.  Seemingly,  the  Broadway  church  dis- 
banded and  reorganized  as  the  Tabernacle  church.  Matters  and  dates 
are  very  confused.  It  appears  that  Broadway  church  began  in  1873, 
the  building  of  a  costly  house  of  worship.  As  had  the  second  Camden 
Baptist  church,  Broadway  church  got  rid  of  its  debts  by  disbanding 
and  its  meeting  house  was  sold  by  the  sheriff. 

The  Tabernacle  church,  an  outgrowth  of  Broadway,  might  buy  it 
at  a  much  lower  cost  than  the  house  would  be  at  its  original  cost.  This 
was  not  an  honest  plan,  but  it  corresponded  with  the  ideas  of  the  world- 
ly wise.  This  is  the  Second  Tabernacle  church  constituted  in  Camden. 
The  first,  built  a  house  of  worship  and  had  pastors.  The  succession 
of  the  pastors  of  the  Tabernacle  church  that  came  out  of  Broadway 
church  were:  J.  M.  Bagley,  ordained  in  1883  and  pastor  until  1889; 
M.  M.  Finch,  1889-97;  W.  J.  Cambron,  1897-1904.  A  house  of  worship 
was  built  in  1886.  Former  experiences  were  not  renewed  and  is  not 
in  use.  Needed  repairs  and  improvements  have  been  made  as  is  necess- 
ary. This  described  is  the  second  Tabernacle  church,  formed  in 
Camden.  The  first  Tabernacle  church  was  constituted  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty-five  members  of  the  First  church.  They  built  a  house  of 
worship  and  had  three  pastors,  Furgurson,  Davies  and  Wynn  In 
1871,  the  First  church  invited  them  to  return  to  the  old  fold.  They 
did  so  in  1872.  Their  pastor,  Rev.  I.  C.  Wynn  being  pastor  of  the 
united  churches  and  the  First  church  becoming  the  Fourth  street 
church.  Of  the  Tabernacle  church  including  Broadway,  there  have 
been  nine  pastors:  five  at  Broadway  and  four  at  the  Tabernacle  church. 
One  or  more  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  Two  houses  of 
worship  have  been  built.  Another,  by  the  Tabernacle  church  in  1886, 
is  now  in  use. 

The  history  of  North  Camden  Baptist  church  begins  earlier  than 
the  date  of  its  organization.  A  man  of  spiritual  height  and  stalwart 
in  his  Christian  discipleship,  a  deacon  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of 
Camden,  Mr.  E.  V.  Glover,  himself  and  Mrs.  H.  P.  Hale  began  in  1855, 
a  series  of  Tuesday  evening  social  meetings  in  private  houses  for  the 
benefit  of  infirm  and  indifferent  members,  who  rarely  came  to  the 
sanctuary.  They  sought  a  permanent  place  for  their  meeting  in  the 
vicinity,  where  the  late  house  of  worship  of  the  North  Baptist  church 
stood.  They  found  a  large  population  unreached  by  either  secular 
or  religious  influences.     Next  year,  1856,  other  mission  workers,  mem- 


368  Ni:W  JEIISKY  JUITIST  llhSrORY 

hers  of  the  (inst  Haptist  churcli  joined  their  labors  to  those  on  the  field. 
Unable  to  find  a  suitable  place  for  their  meetings,  serious  hindrances 
were  experienced  in  the  movement. 

Finally  the  meetings  were  discontinued  at  the  recjuest  of  the  pastor 
of  the  first  churcli,  Mr.  J.  Duncan,  on  the  plea  of  "awakening  an  interest" 
in  a  mission  field  to  the  detriment  of  home  meetings.  In  1857,  Mr.  Foss, 
proprietor  of  a  silk  factory,  gave  the  use  of  a  hall  in  his  factory  in  which 
to  hold  meetings.  A  Sunday  school  was  begun  in  August  in  this  hall. 
E.  V.  Glover  was  superintendent  and  Mrs.  H.  P.  Hale  had  charge  of 
the  primary  department.  Next  October,  religious  service  was  begun 
on  the  afternoon  of  Lord's  Day  and  on  Tuesday  evening  at  the  home  of 
Mr.  J.  Ellis.  Mr.  Foss  in  the  meantime  found  that  the  meetings  inter- 
fered with  the  use  of  the  hall  by  his  workmen  and  a  change  was  desirable 
whereupon,  Mr.  William  Wilson  offered  the  use  of  his  hall  and  owing 
to  the  uncertainty  of  staying  in  their  then  quarters  the  Sunday  school 
was  removed  in  January  1859.  In  the  meantime,  the  attendance  at 
the  Sunday  school  and  in  the  meetings  had  increa.sed  largely. 

It  was  deemed  wise  at  this  time  to  lay  the  matter  before  the  first 
chinx'h  and  in  Jauary  1859,  the  church  appointed  a  committee  of  which 
Deacon  E.  V.  Glover  was  chairman  to  purchase  a  lot  and  to  erect  a 
chapel  for  the  use  of  the  mission.  Deacon  E.  K.  Fortincr  cheerfully 
superintended  the  erection  of  the  building  and  at  its  dedication  in  July 
31st,  1859,  Mr.  Glover  made  the  closing  address.  Several  hundred 
people  were  not  able  to  get  into  the  house  at  this  service.  On  the  15th 
of  the  next  November,  1859,  the  North  Baptist  church  was  organized 
with  thirty-seven  constituents.  Among  them  was  Deacon  E.  V. 
Glover  and  his  family,  five  in  all,  also  Mrs.  H.  P.  Hale,  both  original 
movers  in  the  mission.  Now,  the  North  church  is  one  of  the  mighty 
Baptist  forces  for  all  that  is  good  and  holy  in  Camden.  Rev.  II.  S. 
James  was  pastor  from  the  organization  of  the  church  till  Jauary  1864. 
The  congregation  and  the  church  had  outgrown  the  chapel  in  which 
they  worshipped.  Pastor  James  did  not  think  himself  strong  enough 
physically  to  undertake  the  work  of  building  a  new  church  edifice  and 
resigned.  Another  instance  of  a  pastor's  preference  for  the  welfare  of 
the  cause  of  Chr'st  to  remaining  with  his  people,  whose  plans  con- 
templated so  great  an  advance  and  who  would  haA-e  relieved  him  of 
all  care  to  accomplish  so  important  an  enterprise. 

In  1864,  Rev.  S.  C.  Dare  became  pastor  of  North  Camden  church. 
The  new  edifice  was  erected  under  his  oversight  and  was  a  creditable 
stone  structure.  It  was  dedicated  in  1866  and  cost  thirty-five  thousand 
dollars.  The  early  and  rapid  growth  of  the  mission  in  nine  years  in- 
dicated a  divine  purpose,  in  its  beginning  by  Deacon  Glover  and  Mrs. 


XOUTII  ('AMI)K.N  AND  IJXDllX  369 

Ilalo  as  also  in  its  dcvclopomont.  Mr.  Dniv  had  a  succcssfvil  and  usoful 
pastoral  care,  llis  successor,  Hcv.  A.  G.  Thomas  entered  on  his  work 
in  1868  and  resigned  in  1870.  Rev.  J.  E.  Chambliss  followed  in  the 
spring  of  1871  and  closed  his  labors  at  North  Camden  in  1873.  R.  G. 
Moses  settled  in  September,  1873,  remaining  till  1881.  Needed  repairs 
were  made  on  the  house  of  worship  in  1881  and  a  chapel  costing  four 
thousand  dollars,  was  built  on  Linden  street  in  that  year.  Rev.  A.  E. 
Rose  followed  in  1882,  remaining  till  1883;  whom  Rev.  W.  T.  liurns 
succeeded  for  three  years.  Rev.  B.  F.  G.  McGec  was  pastor  in  1888 
and  1889.  A  vacancy  occurred  in  the  pastorate  until  March,  1891, 
when  A.  G.  Lawson  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor.  In  1895,  a  pastor's 
assistant  was  provided.     Mr.  Lawson  was  pastor  in  1900. 

In  1885,  the  Linden  Church,  including  seventy-three  members, 
w(-r('  dismissed  and  constituted  a  Baptist  Church.  In  the 
autunm  of  1863,  a  few  Baptists  met  in  a  school  house  in  North- 
east Camden  and  organized  the  North  East  Smiday  School, 
originated  by  members  of  the  North  Church,  Camden.  The  names  of 
some  identified  with  it  are  among  the  constituents  of  the  North  Baptist 
Church.  In  the  first  year  the  Sunday  School  met  in  the  secular  school 
house,  but  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  December,  1864,  a  chapel  built  for 
the  use  of  the  school  was  dedicated.  The  chapel  was  built  under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  R.  S.  James,  the  first  pastor  of  the  North  Church. 
The  growth  of  the  Sunday  School  made  it  impcn-ative  to  provide  more 
room  and  another  chapel  was  built  at  a  cost  of  four  thousand  dollars, 
and  completed  by  October ,  1 881 .     The  Sunday  School  then  moved  to  it. 

(Occasional  preaching  services  were  held  in  this  chapel  until  1885, 
when  those  identified  with  the  mission  decided  to  constitute  a  Baptist 
Church,  which  was  effected  in  December,  1885,  and  called  the  Linden 
Baptisi  Church  of  Camden,  New  Jersey.  Fifty-one  were  dismissed  from 
the  North  Chvn-ch  and  two  from  the  First  Baptist  Church,  in  all  fifty- 
three  constituents.  The  Linden  Baptist  Church  had  thus  been  in  pre- 
paration for  twenty-two  years  and  the  training  of  its  constituents  in 
mission  work  had  qualified  it  for  its  responsibility  to  all  the  world. 
Its  first  pastor  was  one  of  its  constituents,  Mr.  W.  H.  Geistweit;  in  this 
following  the  pattern  set  by  nearly  all  the  early  churches.  Mr.  Geist- 
weit was  ordained  for  the  pastoral  care  on  January  25th,  1886.  Fre- 
quent conversions  endorsed  his  ministerial  offices.  He  resigned  in 
December,  1890.  The  membership  increased  from  fifty-three  to  two 
hundred  and  eighty-one  in  his  pastorate  of  about  five  years.  The 
chvirch  edifice  was  enlarged  to  accommodate  the  growing  congrega- 
tions to  an  added  capacity  of  two-fold. 

On  July  1st,  1891,  Rev.  William  R.  Russell  entered  the  pastorate 
•23 


370  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  held  the  office  in  1900.  While  pastor  three  hundred  and  fiftj'-eight 
additions  wrre  made  to  the  church.  Nine  years  is  a  short  period  in  a 
church  life,  especially  if  it  include  its  infantile  stage,  which  is  rarely 
marked  with  specialties  save  of  individual  devotion.  A  higher  type  of 
piety  which  endures  for  the  love  of  the  church  and  of  loyalty  to  Zion's 
King,  and  holds  fast  "a*  seeing  Him  who  is  invisible,"  has  illustration 
in  Mr.  John  T.  Bottomly,  a  constituent  of  the  church,  who  for  more  than 
thirty  years  has  been  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School  and  is  esteem- 
ed for  his  fidelity  in  his  relations  to  the  church  of  which  he  is  a  deacon. 
"Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Including  the  first  pastor,  two 
members  of  the  church  have  been  ordained. 

Linden  Church  is  an  added  instance  of  the  mission  agency  of  the 
Sunday  School.  The  Sunday  School  has  a  foremost  place  in  mission 
work.  At  the  first  it  was  noted  with  suspicion,  when  Rev.  H.  Hol- 
combe  was  asked  relative  to  starting  one  in  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Philadelphia.  He  replied:  "I  do  not  know  that  it  un7/ rfo  an?/ /^arTn" 
and  yet  Pastor  Holcombo  first  smote  hyper-calvinism  with  a  fatal  blow 
in  his  sermon  on  the  "attainableness  of  faith."  Hyper-calvinism  was 
rapid]}'  developing  into  antinomianism  and  threatened  the  existence  of 
Baptist  churches  in  the  Middle  States.  Mr.  Russell  was  pastor  in  1900, 
completing  ten  years  of  faithful  work.  His  relation  as  pastor,  however, 
soon  after  1900  closed.  The  church  has  had  two  sanctuariers.  The 
first  erected  in  1864  for  the  Sunday  school.  A  second  was  built  and 
occupied  in  October,  1881.  Occasional  ser\dces  were  enjoyed  in  these 
houses  until  1885,  when  those  identified  with  the  mission  decided  to  form 
a  Baptist  church  and  with  other  Baptist  churches  in  Camden  to  give 
the  whole  gospel  to  all  its  people. 

Gloi'.ccster  City  is  meant  to  be  included  with  Camden  churches. 
If  not  already  in  the  city  limits  it  is  most  likely  to  be  included  before 
long.  In  April,  1867,  an  informal  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of 
Josiah  Stone  to  consider  the  need  of  organized  effort  in  Gloucester. 
A  local  Baptist  organization  was  effected  at  an  adjourned  meeting. 
A  haU  was  secured  for  worship  and  Rev.  J.  H.  Peters  preached  for 
several  Lord's  Days  from  April  21st.  Affairs  continued  thus  till  April 
1868.  On  April  7th,  1868,  the  local  Association  decided  to  form  a 
Baptist  church  which  was  effected  on  the  17th  of  April. 

The  supply  resigned  and  Rev.  W.  P.  Maul  was  obtained  to  preach 
as  often  as  his  pastorate  would  permit  and  he  gave  seven  years  to 
th  establishment  of  the  church.  Rev.  T.  R.  Taylor,  Jr.,  son  of  a 
former  pastor  of  the  first  church  followed.  A  change  from  ripe  ma- 
turity to  the  push  of  early  youth  wrought  its  usual  results.  The  meet- 
ing house  was  too  tmaU  and  converts  were  multiplied.     Mr.  Taylor 


GLOUCESTER  CITY  AND  TRINITY  371 

stayed  two  years.  Then  one  of  the  most  eminently  good  men,  Rev. 
E.  V.  Glover  settled  in  1878.  Mr.  Glover  lived  in  Haddonfield  and 
rode  from  there  on  the  Lord's  Day  to  preach  at  Gloucester  as  much 
as  eight  miles.  Mr.  Glover  resigned  in  1883.  In  1884,  Rev.  John 
Teasdale  became  pastor.  The  church  enjoyed  prosperity,  while  Mr. 
Teasdale  was  pastor.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  H.  Bray  in  1886,  who 
also  closed  his  charge  of  the  church  in  less  than  two  3'ears. 

In  1888,  was  a  supply.  After  whom  Rev.  L.  W.  Finch  was  pastor 
until  1892,  followed  immediately  by  Rev.  S.  L.  Dorsey,  whose  stay 
was  short.  These  short  pastoral  charges  are  explained  by  environ- 
ments in  Glouce  ter. 

The  worst  elements  of  the  great  city  near  by  had  refuge  and  safety 
in  Gloucester,  the  authorities  of  which  were  content  to  exchange  the 
Christian  Lord's  Day  for  perdition.  In  fact,  the  excesses  of  vice  and 
crime  would  be  a  sufficient  reason  for  the  extension  of  the  security 
of  Camden  over  Gloucester.  Mr.  G.  W.  Lamboum  supplied  the  church 
in  1893  and  having  finished  his  studies,  was  ordained  in  1895.  He 
retains  his  charge  in  1900.  Some  restraint  is  made  upon  evil  brought 
to  the  place  by  strangers.  It  is  believed  that  iniquities  hitherto  allowed 
will  be  kept  under  and  that  righteous  law  will  be  maintained.  The 
church  has  maintained  its  hold  and  has  come  to  be  an  efficient  body. 
With  the  restoration  of  decency  and  the  exclusion  of  vileness,  Gloucester 
will  be  changed  and  the  forces  of  virtue  and  of  religion  will  become 
dominant.     One  member  has  been  licensed  to  preach. 

Differences  are  usual  among  good  people.  Nor  do  their  difTerences 
militate  against  their  piety  or  the  genuineness  of  Christianity.  But 
are  rather  an  evidence  of  the  reality  of  religion.  In  that  it  recognizes 
them  as  men,  having  opinions  and  the  courage  of  their  convictions; 
daring  to  maintain  them  at  the  cost  of  the  dearest  ties.  Charity  allows 
dissent  among  men,  and  ordains  the  right  of  each  one  to  his  conviction 
of  truth  and  of  duty.  The  instruction  in  II  Thess.  3:15:  "Yet  count 
him  not  an  enemy,"  recognizes  character,  even  though  we  withhold 
church  fellowship.  Baptists  may  never  illustrate  the  fundamental 
faith  we  teach  of  a  difference  which  is  not  alienation.  Gospel  ex- 
perience allows  equally  difTerences  and  the  liberty  of  being  w^ong. 

Thus  the  Trinity  Baptist  church,  a  child  of  the  first  church,  was 
born  amid  the  throes  of  dissent  about  a  pastor,  when  ninety-three  mem- 
bers withdrew  from  the  first  church  in  December  1871,  and  constituted 
the  Trinity  Baptist  church  of  Camden.  In  the  next  February,  1872, 
they  were  recognized  by  a  large  council  of  the  Baptist  family,  entitled 
to  wear  the  Baptist  name.  The  strength  of  this  new  body  is  indicated 
by  the  fact  that  within  twenty  days  of  their  recognition,  they  bought 


372  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

a  large  and  suitable  meeting  house  of  another  denomination,  at  a  cost 
of  twelve  thousand  dollars  and,  taking  immediate  possession, 
had  public  worship  till  in  1896,  when  a  building  was  erected  on  the 
old  site  of  nearly  double  the  capacity  and  at  twice  the  cost  of  the  old 
sanctuary.  Supplies  served  the  church  till  June,  1872,  when  Rev.  A.  H. 
Lung  settled  as  pastor.  Months  passed  ere  the  friction  of  the  division 
was  allayed.  But  the  wise  and  prudent  course  of  Pastor  Lung  was 
effective  in  the  removal  of  soreness  and  overcoming  of  ill  feeling  that 
might  have  alienated  old  friends.  In  due  time  ample  reward  came  to 
Pastor  and  people  by  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  converts  were 
added  to  the  church. 

Pastor  Lung  in  January,  1882,  resigned,  after  having  effected 
a  great  work  by  both  his  wisdom  and  prudence.  He  established 
a  mission  on  Cramer  Hill,  East  Camden  and  a  chapel  was  built  for 
it.  Having  long  since  grown  into  a  church  and  first  kno^^Ti  as  First 
Cramer  Hill  church,  the  name  however,  has  since  been  changed  to  Grace 
Baptist  church.  Rev.  C.  A.  Adams  was  called  to  follow  Mr.  Lung 
in  July  1882.  During  the  four  years  of  his  first  pastoral  charge,  abundant 
prosperity  attended  his  oversight.  As  many  as  three  hundred  and 
fifty  were  added  to  the  church.  Mr.  Adams  resigned  in  April  1886. 
A  successful  pastorate  is  rarely  followed  by  another  in  which  a  cor- 
ersponding  increase  and  enlargement  is  assured.  In  July,  1886,  Rev. 
C.  H.  Kimball  entered  the  pastoral  office.  He  stayed  less  than  a  year. 
Rev.  H.  H.  Barbour  settled  in  December  1886. 

In  1887,  Rev.  G.  H.  Charles  was  supply  and  pastor,  closing  his 
work  in  December,  1891.  Rev.  W.  E.  Needam  followed  in  October 
1892  and  terminated  his  pastorate  in  June  1895.  So  that  in  these  nine 
years,  four  pastors  appeared  and  disappeared  and  yet  each  of  them 
were  foremost  men  in  the  qualities  that  constitute  worth,  both  as  men 
and  as  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  Attachment  to  Mr.  Adams  inspired 
the  church  to  call  him,  and  in  October  1896,  he  entered  on  his  second 
pastorate  at  Trinity  church.  Mr.  Adams  had  conditioned  his  return 
upon  the  building  of  a  new  house  of  worship.  This  was  agreed  to  and 
a  new  church  edifice  was  erected,  which  beside  the  material  of  the 
old  building  cost  the  church  twenty-four  thousand  dollars.  The 
building  accommodated  about  twelve  hundred  persons.  Its  appoint- 
ments corresponded  to  modern  ideas. 

A  new  era  of  growth  crowned  the  second  pastoral  care  of  Mr.  Adams. 
Trinitv  church  has  had  seven  pastors,  the  first  of  whom  retained  his 
office  nine  years.  One  of  them,  has  a  second  pastoral  charge,  including 
up  to  1900,  about  eight  years.  Three  houses  of  worship  have  been  in 
use,  each  of  which  was  large,  and  their  fitting  was  in  accord  with  the 


TRINITY  AND  FIRST  CRAMER  HILI.  373 

ample  means  of  the  worshippers.  A  mission  begun  by  the  Trinity- 
church  was  given  a  chapel  building  suited  for  permanent  use.  The 
mission  is  an  independent  church  of  strength  and  of  efficiency. 

From  it,  two  colonies  have  gone,  each  being  efficient  and  active 
in  the  aggression  which  gave  them  life.  The  Trinity  Baptist  had  a 
constituency  unlike  in  one  particular,  those  composing  young  churches. 
It  was  evidently  financially  able  to  care  for  itself  and  also  of  weaker 
interests.  In  the  ministry  of  Rev.  T.  R.  Taylor,  Sr.,  a  number  of  force- 
ful young  men  were  added  to  the  first  church,  who  later  came  to  hold 
prominent  professional  and  business  positions  in  the  city,  acquiring 
financial  means  to  build  the  first  Baptist  house,  and  advance  on  all 
lines  the  Baptist  cause.  Such  men  under  proper  training,  needed  only 
the  stimulus  of  right  influences  to  develop  into  men  who  would  both 
fear  God  and  honor  him  with  their  substance.  Many  of  them  were 
identified  with  the  Trinity  church. 

Grace  Baptist  church  of  Camden,  orginally  First  Cramer  Hill, 
sprang  from  Trinity  church  and  is  an  outgrowth  of  a  mission  Sundaj' 
school  formed  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Mr.  Lung,  pastor  of  Trinity 
church,  in  August  1875.  The  school  was  oegun  in  a  lonely  store  room 
and  yet  contiguous  to  a  responsive  population.  The  mission  in  about 
nine  years  developed  into  the  First  Cramer  Hill  Baptist  church;  a  result 
of  the  visit  of  the  State  missionary.  Rev.  S.  C.  Dare.  On  October  9th, 
1884,  thirty  Baptists,  with  letters  of  dismission  agreed  to  organize  a 
Baptist  church  and  doing  so,  called  themselves,  the  Cramer  Hill  Bap- 
tist church. 

Pastor  Adams  and  the  Trinity  church  approved  of  these  plans. 
The  chapel  property  was  conveyed  to  the  new  body  by  the  trustees  of 
the  Trinity  church.  Pastor  George  Post  served  as  the  first  pastor  of 
Cramer  Hill  church.  In  1885,  Rev.  A.  J.  Hay  bcame  pastor  and  for 
two  years,  was  pastor.  In  that  time,  a  parsonage  was  secured.  Events 
after  this,  associated  with  Mr.  Hay,  are  not  clear.  But  after  his  resig- 
nation, he  was  identified  with  the  origin  of  North  Cramer  Hill  church, 
Bethany  Mission,  for  the  use  of  which  first  Cramer  Hill  church  had 
built  a  chapel.  Rev.  D.  C.  Bixby  was  pastor  from  1887  to  1890.  WTiile 
pastor,  eighteen  members  were  dismissed  in  1889  to  constitute  the 
North  Cramer  Hill  church  (Bethany  Mission).  A  mission  was  estab- 
lished in  Williamstown.  This  also  became  a  church,  to  which  North 
Cramer  Hill  gave  twenty-six  constituents. 

Mr.  William  C.  Martin  followed  Pastor  Bixby  and  was  ordained 
in  1891  and  was  pastor  till  1894.  Under  Pastor  Martin  the 
house  of  worship  was  doubled  in  its  capacity;  one  member  was 
licensed  to  preach  and  Rosedale  mission  was   be  un.      Rev.    J.    M. 


374  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Ash  ton  settled  as  pastor  in  1894,  remaining  two  years,  followed  by  W. 
J.  Beavan,  who  was  ordained  in  1897,  and  is  now  (1090)  pastor.  Three 
colonies  have  gone  from  first  Cramer  Hill  (Grace  church),  Bethany, 
Rosedale  and  Williamstown  and  two  members  have  been  licensed  to 
preach. 

In  1892,  Baptists  residing  in  and  near  Rosedale,  formed  an  associ- 
ation in  behalf  of  its  religious  interests.  A  Sunday  school  was  begun 
on  May  8th,  1892.  Support  was  given  by  the  Grace  church  and  the 
encouragements  were  so  many,  that  within  a  short  time  lots  were 
bought  on  which  to  build  a  chapel.  A  farm  house  on  the  ground 
bought  was  remodeled  for  the  use  of  the  Sunday  school  and  for  Divine 
worship  and  a  church  founded  later.  The  Camden  Association  was 
doing  an  efficient  work  in  caring  for  its  young  and  needy  churches. 
Rosedale  shared  in  its  beneficence  and  a  more  fitting  place  of  worship 
was  assured  to  the  church.  In  1895,  the  farm  house  was  exchanged 
for  a  church  edifice  more  fitly  answering  the  needs  of  the  church.  Six 
pastors  have  served  Rosedale  church:  Thomas  Armour,  1893-4;  C.  M. 
Reed,  1894-95;  J.  M.  Moore,  1895-96;  J.  Bristow,  1897;  G.  C.  Horter, 
1898-99;  H.  H.  Brown,  1899-1900.  These  are  believed  to  be  students 
from  Crozer  Theological  Seminary  in  Upland,  Pa. 

After  closing  his  labors  at  First  Cramer  Hill  church  in  1887,  Rev. 
A.  J.  Hay  identified  himself  with  North  Cramer  Hill  mission  in  1888. 
Organized  as  a  church  in  1889,  Mr.  Hay  was  the  first  pastor  until  the 
end  of  1895,  nearly  seven  years.  A  succession  of  pastors  was  G.  A. 
Sowell,  1896-99;  E.  B.  Price,  1899-1900.  Under  Pastor  Hay  a  new 
sanctuary  was  built,  the  chapel  being  too  small  to  accommodate  the 
congregation.  A  special  work  of  grace  in  1897,  added  many  to  the 
church  membership.  The  old  chapel  was  encumbered  with  debt  and 
the  new  house  increased  it.  However,  courage  was  assured  by  tokens 
of  the  Divine  favor.  A  church  so  young  did  not  have  daughters,  never- 
theless, it  has  occupied  its  own  field  and  met  in  part,  its  mission  to  the 
world  by  sending  one  of  its  members  licensed  to  preach,  to  declare  the 
glad  tidings  of  Divine  Grace. 

The  Camden  Mission  Society  cared  for  the  St.  John's  church 
(Afro-American)  of  which  they  speak  hopefully.  Begun  as  a  mission 
in  1894,  \vdth  the  small  number,  three.  Matt.  18:20.  The  mission  was 
organized  in  October,  1894,  and  was  recognized  as  a  church  in  June, 
1895.  From  their  report  of  the  first  year,  they  numbered  eighteen  in 
all,  two  of  whom  came  by  letter;  eight  by  baptism,  nine  by  "experi- 
ence." It  seems  that  thus  this  church  was  of  spontaneous  growth  and 
constituted  of  resident  material.  Its  location  was  Cramer  Hill.  Rev. 
T.  A.  Brown  was  pastor  in  1895.     It  may  be,  he  was  the  means  of  its 


SAINT  JOHN'S  375 

constitution.  He  was  instrumental  in  securing  for  the  church  a  neat 
and  commodious  house  of  worship.  His  resignation  took  effect  in 
1897,  and  he  was  followed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson  and  in  1898,  by  Rev. 
J.  H.'  Boone,  who  in  1899,  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  Eham. 


wm 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


PERTH  AMBOY. 

Perth  Amboy  is  a  very  old  town.  Governor  Carteret  reserved  its 
site  from  sale  in  1669.  The  East  Jersey  proprietors  in  their  published 
account  said:  "that  it  was  their  intention  if  the  Lord  permit,  to  erect 
and  build  one  principal  town,  which  by  reason  of  situation,  must  in  all 
probability  be  the  most  considerable  for  merchandise,  trade  and  fishing 
in  those  parts."  The  locality  was  called  Ompogy.  Later  it  was  known 
by  its  Indian  name,  "Ambo,"  since  corrupted  to  Amboy.  The  pro- 
prietors meant  to  caU  it  Perth.  The  earl  of  Perth  being  one  of  them. 
But  the  two  names  have  been  retained.  By  the  plans  of  the  proprietors 
the  town  was  to  be  the  commercial  head  of  the  colonies.  Its  harbor  is 
the  best  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 

Perth  Amboy  .shared  with  Burlington  the  meeting  of  the  Assembly 
and  the  residence  of  the  Governor.  The  American  Revolution  dis- 
appointed these  plans.  Its  harbor  made  it  a  rendezvous  of  the  English 
army  and  the  town  bcame  a  depository  of  stores  for  army  and  navy; 
concentrating  wealth  and  commerce  at  New  York  City.  Eventually 
the  colonial  records,  the  courts,  the  officers  and  business  of  the  colony 
were  removed  and  the  town  resumed  its  primitive  estate.  It  is  easy  to 
believe  from  the  caste  of  the  founders  that  its  religious  influences  were 
stanchly  Pedo  Baptist.  The  church  of  England  was  the  affinity  of 
its  settlers.  A  stone  in  the  wall  of  the  Episcopal  meeting  house  is 
dated  1685.  The  edifice  was  completed  later.  An  English  mission 
society,  expended  large  sums  to  sustain  the  church.  The  Presby- 
terians also  had  a  large  following.  More  than  a  century  passed,  when 
in  1817,  a  revival  came.  Numerous  converts  having  only  the  New 
Testament,  read  it  and  became  Baptists.  In  Divine  Providence, 
Rev.  Drake  Wilson  of  Connecticut  visited  the  town  and  these  disciples 
were  baptized,  confessing  the  great  facts  of  his  redemption,  his  death 
and  resurrection,  only  less  than  his  incarnation.  Mr.  Wilson  baptized 
ten  of  these  disciples.  The  next  July  two  others  were  baptized.  These, 
with  three  resident  Baptists,  fifteen  in  all,  constituted  themselves  a 
Baptist  church  on  August  25th,  1818. 

The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Drake  Wilson  of  Connecticut,  who  in 
coming  to  Perth  Amboy,  baptized  the  converts  of  1817.  He  is  supposed 
to  have  settled  when  the  church  was  organized  and  to  have  remained 
three  years.     The  early  records  are  lost  and  memory  and  tradition  are 


PERTH   AMBOY  377 

depended  on  for  tiie  events  of  the  beginning.  Pastors  since  then,  have 
been  J.  C.  Goble,  licensed  by  Perth  Amboy  church.  In  1821,  John 
Boothe,  two  years  to  1828;  John  Bloomer,  one  year;  Jacob  Sloper, 
ordained  August  1832,  almost  three  years;  Thomas  Ritchie,  ordained 
April  1835,  two  years;  John  Blaine,  one  year;  J.  B.  Cross,  two  years; 
John  Rogers,  three  years;  G.  F.  Hendrickson,  three  years.  Many 
added  to  the  church  by  baptism.  J.  M.  Carpenter,  two  years;  J.  E. 
Reynold.s,  one  year;  H.  A.  Cordo,  one  year,  returned  to  his  studies. 
A.  G.  Lawson,  ordained  June  1862;  five  years  nearly. 

G.  W.  Pendelton,  one  and  more  years;  G.  W.  Nicholson,  three 
years;  house  of  worship  enlarged  and  improved;  S.  G.  Woodrow,  one 
and  more  years;  G.  B.  Hunter,  ordained  November,  1873,  one  year; 
times  of  discouragement;  G.  J.  Ganun,  one  year;  G.W. Pendelton,  second 
charge,  about  four  years;  W.  A.  Bronson,  eleven  years;  G.  K.  Allen, 
eight  years  to  1900.  P.  R.  Ferris  from  December  1900.  The  church 
has  had  twenty-four  pastors.  One  held  the  office  for  eleven  years. 
His  successor  for  eight  years.  One  was  pastor  twice.  One  was  licensed 
and  ordained.  He  became  an  Antinomian  Apostle  and  several  churches 
died  through  his  influence.  His  last  days  were  spent  on  the  tavern 
porch  in  the  village  in  which  he  lived.  The  church  has  suffered  from 
short  pastorates.  With  one  exception,  these  were  good  men.  Five  have 
been  licensed  to  preach.  The  house  of  worship  has  undergone  enlarge- 
ments and  adaptation  to  the  growth  of  the  church. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


PATERSON,  PASSAIC  AND  VICINITY. 

While  some  Baptist  churches  spring  from  others.it  is  not  a  necessity. 
A  Baptist  church  may  exist  far  from  another  and  be  independent  of 
either  another  or  of  ministerial  offices.  At  first  churches  had  an  origin 
in  Apostolic  ministry.  In  later  days,  from  the  people  who  have  the 
Scriptures  only.  The  head  of  the  church  is  Himself,  the  sole  donor  of 
power  to  be  and  to  do.  "Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in 
My  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  (Matt.  18:20).  It  is 'a 
phenomena  in  nature,  that  earth  thrown  from  great  depths  in  the 
summer,  developes  life,  yielding  plants  like  to  those  we  see.  This 
illustrates  the  maternity  of  the  earth  and  the  intent  of  the  words,  which 
God  spake:  "Let  the  earth  bring  forth  grass  and  herb  and  fruit  tree." 
Needing  only  the  impregnation  of  sun  and  dew.  Thus  also,  Baptists 
and  Baptist  churches  are  the  spontaneous  generation  of  the  Gospel 
of  the  Son  of  God.  Christ-like  Baptists  are  a  magnet.  Thus  it  was 
in  Paterson.  A  young  man,  James  Moore,  a  member  cf  Oliver  street 
Baptist  church.  New  York,  removed  to  Paterson  in  1822. 

The  town  had  a  population  of  four  thousand.  Instead  of  conceal- 
ing his  convictions  of  truth  and  of  duty,  and  uniting  with  other  Chris- 
tians, as  some  insist  is  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  people  found  out  what 
he  was  and  why.  Rev.  J.  W.  Griffiths,  pastor  of  Middletown  Baptist 
church  had  known  Mr.  Moore  and  visited  him  in  Paterson.  Provident- 
ially, a  supply  was  needed  for  a  pulpit  in  Paterson,  and  hearing  of  Mr. 
Griffiths'  visit,  he  was  engaged  as  a  supply.  At  the  end  of  the  evening 
service,  seven  Baptists  made  themselves  known  to  Mr.  Griffiths.  Meetings 
for  prayer  were  appointed  at  the  homes  of  Mr.  Moore  and  of  Mrs.  Ben- 
nett. Two,  a  husband  and  wife  soon  after  were  ready  for  baptism. 
Rev.  Mr.  Parkinson,  pastor  of  first  church,  New  York  City,  baptized 
them  and  set  forth  Baptist  views  to  an  interested  multitude.  Rev. 
William  House  was  secured  as  pastor  and  about  the  end  of  1822,  bap- 
tized several  converts.  On  the  organization  of  a  Baptist  church,  it  was 
decided  to  call  a  council  to  meet  in  January,  1824.  They  met  and 
recognized  a  Baptist  church  with  seventeen  constituents.  Mr.  House 
was  chosen  pastor,  remaining  two  years  and  was  prospered. 

To  the  men  and  women  constituting  the  Primary  Baptist  element. 
Baptists  of  Paterson  owe  a  constant  remembrance.  To  them,  is  due 
the  later  Baptist  strength  and  efficiency.     James  Moore,  James  Richards 


PATERSON  379 

and  John  Brown  were  men  of  rare  efficiency.  It  is  written  of  them: 
That  they  were  successful  business  men  and  as  generous  as  they  were 
Buccessful.  From  their  unbounded  liberality,  the  church  received 
for  many  years,  one  half,  if  not  two  thirds  of  its  entire  support.  Rev. 
D.  D.  Lewis  followed  Mr.  House  serving  the  church  for  seven  years.  He 
was  a  devoted  pastor,  an  able  preacher  and  deservedly  held  in  the 
highest  esteem.  From  its  organization  in  1824,  for  more  than  a  year 
worship  was  in  an  indifferent  school  room  seating  at  most  about  forty 
persons  James  Moore  and  James  Richards  took  steps  to  build  a 
meeting  house.  Lots  were  bought  and  the  house  was  built  and  ded- 
icated. That  ever  memorable  man,  Zelotes  Grenelle,  succeeded  Pastor 
Lewis. 

The  membership  grew  rapidly.  The  house  of  worship  was  en- 
larged. This,  Mr.  Crenelle's  first  pastorate  lasted  five  years,  closing 
in  1838.  In  1839,  C.  W.  Dennison  was  pastor.  Before,  while  it  lasted 
and  after  it  closed,  serious  alienations  caused  the  organization  of  a 
second  church.  It  survived  only  a  few  years  and  four-fifths  of  its 
constituents  returned  to  the  old  home.  All  causes  of  differences  were 
mutually  ignored  and  concord  abode  with  them.  Rev.  George  Young 
was  pastor  two  ye?vrs.  Harvest  seasons  for  the  unsaved.  Rev.  R. 
Thompson  had  a  happy  service  in  1843.  Rev.  C.  H.  Hoskin  was  pastor 
three  years.  His  book  on  baptism  issued  in  1843  was  an  admirable 
discussion.  When  Mr.  Hosken  resigned,  the  thought  of  the  people 
reverted  to  Mr.  Grenelle  and  he  began  his  second  charge.  Mr.  Grenelle 
died  in  1883  in  his  eighty-eighth  year.  It  is  not  likely  that  an  estimate 
of  Mr.  Grenelle's  worth  will  ever  be  made  on  earth.  Luther,  Edwards, 
Wilberforce  and  Wesley  occupied  larger  fields.  What  they  were  in 
theirs,  Grenelle  was  in  his.  In  1852,  Rev.  S.  S.  Parker  was  pastor. 
While  pastor,  plans  were  adopted,  which  later  ripened  into  churches. 
Mr.  Parker  resigned  in  1855.  That  year.  Rev.  R.  Babcock  accepted 
the  call  of  the  church  and  continued  eight  years.  A  large  and  becoming 
house  was  erected  in  1869,  costing  twenty-four  thouand  dollars.  Pastor 
Babcock  was  followed  in  1864  by  Rev.  S.  J.  Knapp.  Although  staying 
but  two  years,  his  term  of  service  was  eminent  for  numerous  bap- 
tisms. 

Mr.  Knapp  did  not  limit  himself  to  Paterson.  He  was  tall  enough, 
to  see  beyond  it.  He  laid  foundations  of  the  Baptist  work  in  Passaic. 
Particulars  will  be  given  in  the  record  of  Passaic  church.  The  en- 
suing nine  years  from  October  1st,  1866,  were  taken  up  with  the  pastorate 
of  Rev.  J.  Banvard,  who  closed  his  fruitful  service  in  December  1875. 
Although  lacking  a  pastor,  the  "people  had  a  mind  to  work,"  affording 
new  evidence  that  the  Divine  presence  and  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 


380  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

is  not  limited  (of  necessity)  to  the  pulpit  ministries  and  that  the  church 
is  the  treasure  house  of  blessing.  For  one  year,  Rev.  A.  H.  Burlingham, 
1877,  ministered  to  the  people.  Rev.  F.  Fletcher  followed  in  1878  and 
Rev.  E.  A.  Woods  entered  the  pastorate  in  1880  and  continued  six 
years,  closing  his  charge  in  1886.  That  year.  Rev.  S.  B.  Meeser  settled 
and  was  useful  for  eight  years.  The  largest  accession  by  baptism  in 
one  year  was  one  hundred  and  ten  in  1890.  Debts  on  the  sanctuary 
were  reduced.  In  June  1894,  Mr.  J.  W.  Brougher  was  ordained  and 
was  pastor.  During  the  second  year  of  his  charge,  he  baptized  one 
hundred  and  twenty-seven.  Rev.  A.  A.  Delarme  settled  as  pastor  in 
June  1900. 

First  Paterson  Baptist  church  has  been  a  fruitful  vine.  Nine 
Baptist  churches  trace  their  lineage  to  this  mother.  Others  also,  out 
of  the  city  originated  from  her.  As  many  as  fourteen  members  have 
been  licensed  to  preach.  Daughters  of  the  church  also  serve  in  the 
home  and  foreign  fields.  The  venerable  and  beloved  A.  W.  Rogers,  M. 
D  ,  worthy  son  of  a  noble  father,  Rev.  John  Rogers,  who  preached  the 
first  missionary  sermon,  before  the  New  York  association  by  appoint- 
ment of  the  Association,  and  himself  almost  a  life  long  resident  of 
Paterson,  who  impressed  his  own  forethoughtful  views  of  expansion 
upon  the  Baptists  of  the  city,  furnishes  to  me  the  data  of  the  beginning 
and  the  movement  of  Baptist  interests  in  Paterson.  Willis  street,  now 
Park  avenue,  was  the  earliest  city  outgrowth  of  the  planting  of  the 
first  church  and  illustrates  development  by  individual  effort  rather 
than  by  church  action.  In  second  or  third  year  of  Rev.  S.  S.  Parker 
five  brethren  gave  fifty  dollars  each  for  the  purchase  of  lots,  J.  J.  Brown, 
D.  B.  Beam,  L.  R.  Stelle,  J.  Ramsey,  and  Dr.  A.  W.  Rogers. 
Dr.  Rogers  originated  the  movement.  Two  others,  then,  not  members  of 
the  church  associated  themselves  with  the  enterprise,  James  Crooks  and 
James  McNab,  each  of  whom  gave  one  thousand  dollars.  These  bought 
a  lot  for  Sunday  school  uses  on  Willis  street  and  built  a  chapel  in  1855. 
H.  B.  Crosby,  J.  Bayard,  A.  Crogsdale,  A.  W.  Rogers,  M.  D.,  Mr. 
Rogers  did  not  recall  the  name  of  the  fifth  trustee.  Messrs.  McNab 
and  Crooks  were  identified  with  the  movement.  These  gentlemen 
were  incorporated.  The  chapel  was  enlarged  twice,  covered  the  entire 
lot  and  was  too  small,  whereupon  these  men  bought  adjoining  lots, 
and  built  the  church  edifice,  which  Willis  street  church  occupies. 

Other  members  of  the  First  church  shared  in  the  enterprise.  This 
entire  movement  was  without  any  formal  action  of  the  First  church. 
Dr.  Rogers  alludes  to  Deacon  A.  Stoughtenborough  and  James  Styles, 
as  having  had  a  hand  in  this  enterprise.  They  were  helpers  in  all 
good  undertakings.     Dr.  Rogers  is  known  in  New  Jersey  to  have  been 


PATERSON  AND   PASSAIC  381 

foremost  in  all  good  things  for  the  last  fifty  years  and  his  motive  is: 
"The  world  for  Christ."  Pastors  Bal)cock;,  Knapp  and  Banvard  often 
preached  in  the  mission  and  thus  it  ripened,  till  one  hundred  members 
of  the  First  church  organized  a  new  interest  in  1869.  The  property 
was  then  conveyed  to  the  trustees  of  the  new  interest  and  the  church 
was  well  cared  for.  There  are  extremes  in  church  life  of  light  and  dark 
and  a  question  occurs:  "Did  First  Paterson  maintain  her  aggressiveness?" 
A  response  is  given  in  one  of  our  religious  weeklies.  The  Baptist  church 
is  now  the  largest  Protestant  church  in  Paterson.  The  membership 
of  the  Sunday  schools  is  fourteen  hundred  and  sixty-four.  The  church 
will  support  its  own  Foreign  Missionary,  who  will  soon  graduate  and 
be  ordained.  An  installation  mission  is  to  be  established  soon.  Then 
every  Lord's  day,  the  Bible  will  be  taught  in  five  languages,  English, 
German,  Holland,  Italian  and  Chinese. 

This  recalls  to  the  writer  a  prayer  meeting  in  Milwaukee, when  he 
was  pastor  in  1851.  There  were  prayers  in  English,  Indian,  German, 
Swede  and  Holland.  Only  English  was  understood  by  more  than  one 
present.  But  there  was  a  hallowed  unction  of  tone  and  manner  in  the 
unknown  tongue  that  enchained  each  one  to  the  mercy  seat.  The 
First  Baptist  church  of  Paterson  has  had  seventeen  pastors.  The 
longest  settlement  w^is  nine  years.  Another  was  eight  years.  Two 
others  were  each  seven  years.  One  pastor  had  two  settlements,  in- 
cluding in  both,  nine  years.  Some  of  these  pastors  were  widely  known 
and  had  considerable  denominational  influence.  That  First  Paterson 
church  could  command  the  service  of  such  men  indicates  strength  in  the 
church  and  its  foremost  place  in  the  denomination.  Its  membership 
included  men  of  culture  associated  with  Christian  activity.  A  lesson 
learned  from  its  history  is:  Expansion,  a  condition  of  growth  and  of 
strength.  Churches  that  colonize  their  territory  are  strong.  Those 
that  yield  it  to  other  denominations  are  shut  in  and  the  emigration 
from  without  contracts  them.  Nine  churches  have  gone  out  from 
Paterson  First  church:  Passaic,  WiUis  Street,  Union  Avenue,  Fourth 
Paterson,  Emmanuel  (Paterson),  Ridgewood,  Emmanuel,  Calvary, 
Ridgefield  Park,  Sixth,  Prospect  Park. 

Passaic  is  five  miles  from  Paterson  and  in  1864,  had  a  small  pop- 
ulation. Baptist  interests  in  Passaic  are  closely  associated  with  Pater- 
son. The  Passaic  church  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  labors  of  the  pastor 
of  First  Paterson  Baptist  church.  Rev.  S.  J.  Knapp.  In  May  1864, 
Mr.  Knapp  wrote  a  letter  of  inquiry,  asking  if  there  was  an  opening  in 
Passaic  for  a  mission  under  Baptist  auspices.  A  favorable  reply  led 
him  to  make  an  appointment  and  this  was  issued:  "You  are  invited 
to  attend  a  meeting  at  the  residence  of  William  P.  Boggs  on  Friday 


382  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

evening,  May  27th,  at  7:30  P.  M.,  to  consider  the  propriety  of  holding 
divine  services  in  Speer's  Hall."  A  result  was  that  Mr.  Knapp  began 
preaching  June  5th  on  Lord's  day  afternoons. 

Preliminary  week  day  meetings  were  held  for  consultation  and 
on  November  16th,  1864,  the  Baptist  church  of  Passaic  was  formed,  at 
the  house  of  Mr.  Boggs  with  twenty-two  constituents.  Mr.  Knapp 
preached  for  the  church  for  two  years  and  the  minute  book  of  the 
Passaic  church  states:  "His  coming  to  us  for  two  years,  during  the 
severest  storms  of  winter  and  the  burning  heat  of  summer,  must  make 
us  regard  him  with  profoundly  grateful  remembrance."  In  February 
1865,  thirteen  candidates  were  baptized  in  the  river.  Baptism  was  a 
new,  strange  thing  in  that  unbaptistic  section.  Curiosity  to  see  a 
Scriptural  baptism  was  so  real,  that  the  Erie  Railroad  ran  special  trains 
to  the  place  of  the  administration  of  the  ordinance  and  three  thousand 
people  saw  it,  a  repetition  of  the  Jordan  baptism  as  the  first  Baptist 
had  done  it.  In  June  1866,  Rev.  F.  Johnson  became  pastor,  continuing 
six  years.  While  pastor,  a  spacious  and  creditable  sanctuary  was 
dedicated  in  Februarv^  1870.  An  index  of  the  intelligence  and  piety 
of  a  people  devising  a  fitting  sanctuary  for  worship.  Rev.  R.  B.  Kelsay, 
whose  father  filled  his  life  with  ministerial  service  and  whose  grandfather 
till  nearly  eighty  years  old,  was  pastor  to  his  Death  at  Old  Cohansie 
for  thirty-three  years,  entered  the  pastoral  office  at  Passaic  in  1873,  re- 
maining two  years. 

Succeeding  pastors  were:  O.  C.  Kirkham,  1876-77;  James  Waters, 
1877-78;  In  this  charge,  four  trustees  paid  off  the  debt  of  thirty-five 
hundred  dollars.  R.  H.  McMichael,  1880-81;  S.  G.  Smith,  1881-84; 
A.  S.  Burrows,  1885-91;  while  pastor  the  house  of  worship  was  burned. 
Public  halls  and  the  kindly  sympathies  of  other  denominations  were 
enjoyed  for  two  years,  when  a  larger  and  a  modem  house  was  built 
at  a  cost  of  forty  thousand  dollars,  twice  the  cost  of  the  burned  build- 
ing. The  new  house  was  dedicated  in  December,  1892.  Pastor  W.  W. 
Pratt,  a  supply  for  five  months  became  pastor  in  March  1892  and  in 
1900  is  still  holding  the  trust.  In  these  years,  the  church  has  nearly 
or  quite  doubled  its  membership.  A  large  amount  has  also  been  paid 
into  the  church  treasury  on  account  of  the  new  house  of  worship.  The 
Passaic  church  is  a  missionary  body,  thoroughly  identified  with  all 
work,  through  mission  organizations  of  Baptists  especially.  Eight 
pastors  have  ser-ved  the  church.  As  yet,  Mr.  Pratt  is  the  longest  settled 
of  the  number  having  already  held  the  pastoral  charge  more  than 
eleven  years. 

Two  colonies  have  gone  from  Passaic  church.  One  a  German 
church,  grown  out  of  a  mission  planted  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 


PASSAIC  AND  WILLIS  STREET  383 

A.  S.  Burrows.  An  account  of  it  will  be  in  the  chapter  of  German 
churches.  Another  was,  Brookdale  church.  Its  origin  illustrates 
the  value  of  individual  work  for  Christ.  A  family  member  of  Passaic 
church,  Henry  Hepburn,  removed  to  Brookdale,  about  1895.  Mr. 
Hepburn  bought  an  old  forsaken  Methodist  place  of  worship  at  a  cost 
of  three  thousand  dollars.  Other  Baptists  removed  to  the  place, 
constituting  a  Baptist  colony.  These  decided  to  organize  a  church 
and  in  1895,  constituted  the  Brookdale  Baptist  church  and  reported 
to  the  Association,  a  membership  of  forty-one. 

Willis  Street,  now  Park  Avenue  Baptist  church  of  Paterson,  was 
constituted  in  1869.  Its  origin  has  already  been  given  in  the  history 
of  the  First  church  and  need  not  to  be  repeated.  The  church  itself  is 
an  efficient  body  of  disciples.  The  first  pastor  was.  Rev.  S.  J.  Knapp. 
He  had  been  pastor  of  the  first  church  of  Paterson  and  had  resigned 
his  charge  but  three  years  before  his  return  to  Paterson,  to  be  pastor 
at  Willis  Street  church.  He  was  not  a  stranger  in  Paterson,  nor  to 
the  interest  of  which  he  was  to  be  pastor.  In  1873,  while  pastor  at 
Willis  Street,  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  were  baptized  and  ten 
were  added  by  letter.  Two  hundred  and  thirty- three  were  baptized 
in  1874  and  the  number  of  members  at  Willis  Street  was  five  hun- 
dred and  eighty.  It  was  the  largest  church  in  the  Association 
and  had  two  hundred  and  fifty  more  members  than  the 
mother  church.  It  is  not  a  surprise  that  in  1876  the 
church  says:  "Our  pastor  has  been  laid  aside  by  S'ck- 
ness  most  of  the  year."  Mr.  Knapp  resigned  in  February  1877, 
on  account  of  iU  health.  Pastors  are  among  the  most  unselfish  men. 
Despite  medical  advice,  the  entreaties  of  his  family  and  the  conscious- 
ness of  exhaustion,  they  keep  on  at  work  and  push  and  drive  till  com- 
pelled to  stop.  Like  to  Nehimiah,  their  reply  is:  "WTiy  should  the 
work  stop?"  Thus  Mr.  KJnapp  toiled  on  till  necessity  allowed  of  but 
one  alternative.  Rev.  M.  C.  Lockwood  became  pastor  the  same  year 
in  which  Mr.  Knapp  resigned,  1877.  At  the  end  of  three  years,  he  also 
resigned.  In  1880,  Rev.  S.  Washington  became  pastor  for  two  years. 
Short  pastorates  are  far  from  the  fault  of  the  pastor.  Ordinarily, 
"earthen  vessels"  are  in  every  church.  Nevertheless  the  grace  of  God 
develops  from  the  "foolish"  the  "base"  and  the  "weak,"  the  mightiest 
forces  the  world  knows. 

Rev.  G.  Guirey  settled  as  pastor  in  1882.  In  the  second  year  of 
his  charge,  he  baptized  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  and  the  promise  of 
the  future  was  bright.  Fifteen  colored  members  w^ere  dismissed  to  or- 
ganize a  church  of  their  race.  Troubles  came.  The  pastor  was  deposed 
and  excluded.     They  reported  that  a  "large  number  of  our  membership 


384  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

went  off,"  whither  and  their  destination  is  unknown.  These  trials  hap- 
pened in  1884.  In  their  troubles  the  church  recalled  their  first  love,  to  be 
pastor.  Rev.  S.  J.  Knapp  and  he  entered  on  his  second  pastorate  in  1885. 
The  membership  of  the  church  had  fallen  to  one  hundred  and  ninety-nine 
from  nearly  five  hundred  in  1885.  Mr.  Knapp  stayed  but  little  more 
than  a  year,  but  his  aim  was  accomplished.  Much  was  recovered  that 
had  seemingly  been  lost  and  the  church  was  saved  from  extinction. 
Its  later  record  verified  his  hope  and  he  lived  to  see  the  dead  restored 
to  life.  Mr.  Knapp's  presence  was  an  inspiration  to  the  best  things. 
His  devotion  kindled  fires  of  consecration  in  those  with  whom  he  came 
in  contact.  Rev.  H.  Wood  followed  Mr.  Knapp  in  the  spring  of  1887 
and  Avas  pastor  almost  thirteen  years,  closing  his  labors  in  January 
1900.     The  church  recovered  rapidly  from  its  disasters. 

Mr.  Wood's  pastorate  was  a  constant  blessing.  Debts  were  paid. 
The  house  of  worship  was  put  in  the  best  condition;  a  church  formed  at 
Ridgewood  that  began  in  barns  and  empty  houses  in  1891.  Another, 
in  August  1892  began  as  a  mission,  is  now  Sixth  Paterson.  A  third 
mission  begun  in  1896  by  means  of  a  Sunday  school.  The  coming  of 
Pastor  Wood  to  Park  Avenue  church  was  providential.  Closing  his 
charge  in  March  1900,  he  welcomed  his  successor,  Rev.  J.  W.  Lissenden. 
Two  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach  and  each  has  been  ordained. 
Eight  pastors  have  served  the  church.  One  of  them  has  had  a  second 
pastorate.  In  both  of  them  his  term  was  ten  years..  His  last  charge 
being  one  of  recovery.  Another,  Mr.  Wood  was  pastor  thirteen  years. 
Two  churches  have  gone  from  Park  Avenue  church.  Ridgewood  and 
Sixth  Paterson.  Its  sanctuaries  are  described  and  the  mamier  of  their 
erection,  in  the  account  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Paterson. 

In  1869,  the  year  of  the  constitution  of  Willis  Street  (Park  Avenue) 
church,  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Paterson  built  a  mission  chapel 
on  Union  avenue.  Devotional  meetings  and  the  Sunday  school  con- 
centrated about  the  chapel  considerable  religious  interest  which  eventu- 
ated in  the  organization  of  the  Union  Avenue  Baptist  church  on  Sep- 
tember 11th,  1873.  Dr.  Rogers  has  kindly  given  these  data  of  the 
beginnings  of  Union  Avenue  Baptist  church:  "The  ground  for  the 
chapel"  was  given  by  Brother  Joseph  Taylor  and  his  wife,  and  another 
brother,  whose  name  the  Doctor  did  not  recall.  The  Doctor's  sister, 
Anna  was  the  largest  donor  to  the  chapel.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  left  a 
legacy  of  seven  to  ten  thousand  dollars  to  the  mission.  This  legacy 
was  reduced  by  the  depreciation  of  the  property,  which  it  included.  A 
colony  of  twenty-five  members  were  dismissed  from  the  First  church 
to  constitute  the  Union  Avenue  church. 

Its  first  pastor,  Rev.  P.  S.  Yreeland  stayed  but  a  short  time.     He 


UNION  AVENUE,  PROSPECT  PARK  AND  CALVARY     385 

was  succeeded  by  Zelotes  Grcnelle,  in  the  fall  of  1S74.  Mr.  Grenelle 
had  been  pastor  of  the  First  church  twice.  Rev.  S.J.  Knapp  was  pastor 
of  the  First  church  about  this  time.  The  choice  of  these  old  pastors 
is  significant  of  them  and  of  the  people  who  called  them.  The  old  time 
Baptists  did  not  have  a  "dead  line,"  nor  itching  ears  for  a  new  voice. 
Mr.  Grenelle  continued  ptistor  until  1881  and  "resigned  by  reason  of 
age"  being  eighty-five  years  old.  In  that  year,  Rev.  J.  B.  McQuillin 
settled.  In  a  short  time,  the  house  was  enlarged.  In  1884,  a  larger 
and  better  one  was  in  progress.  Mr.  McQuillin  w;is  an  eminently 
useful  pastor  and  retired  at  the  end  of  1884.  Rev.  J.  H.  Dudley  settled 
in  May  1885,  and  the  new  house  was  dedicated  in  September  of  that 
5'ear.     Mr.  Dudley  remained  something  more  than  a  year. 

After  a  few  months.  Rev.  H.  B.  Mawrer  entered  the  pastoral  office 
and  closed  his  charge  in  1888.  In  that  fall.  Rev.  E.  E.  Valentine  became 
pastor  and  remained  ten  years  and  resigned  under  the  impression  that 
ten  years  was  the  limit  of  a  pastor's  usefulness.  The  church,  however, 
declined  to  accept  that  idea  and  asked  the  pastor  to  withdraw  his 
resignation.  He  consented  and  remained  another  year.  Then  Rev. 
R.  T.  Craig  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor  in  1899  and  is,  in  1900,  holding 
the  trust.  The  church  has  had  six  pastors,  one  of  whom  served  the 
church  nearly  twelve  years.  Another  was  pastor  until  he  was  eighty- 
five  years  old.  Two  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use.  The  first 
built  by  the  First  church;  the  second  was  built  by  Union  Avenue  church 
for  itself. 

In  February  1894,  twenty-four  Baptists  constituted  themselves 
the  Prospect  Park  Baptist  church  of  Paterson.  Prospect  Park  was 
then  a  suburl)  of  the  city.  Of  these  fifteen,  were  dismissed  from  Union 
Avenue  church  and  if  Prospect  Park  may  claim  the  maternity  of  another 
Baptist  church,  it  would  be  that  of  Union  Avenue  church.  Early  in 
September  1895,  they  occupied  a  house  of  worship,  which  they  had 
built  for  themselves.  Their  supply  in  the  minutes  of  the  Association 
in  1896,  was  Mr.  P.  J.  Frey.  He  was  ordained  in  1897  or  98  and  is  now 
(1900)  ministering  as  pastor.  Members  of  the  churches  in  Paterson, 
men  and  women,  experienced  in  essential  concerns,  of  social  position, 
of  wealth  and  of  piety,  who  could  distribute  themselves  among  the 
yoimg  churches  and  missions,  could  thus  afford  them  strength  and  an 
assurance  of  a  future.  In  this  may  be  the  secret  of  the  rapid  and  safe 
development  of  Baptist  interests  in  Paterson  and  in  other  cities  in  New 
Jersey. 

The  Cah^ary  church  of  Paterson  is  an  Afro-American  body.  Data 
of  it  is  scarce.  It  was  constituted  in  1884.  Dr.  Rogers  ■^\Tites:  that 
the  Park  Avenue  church  is  entitled  to  the  maternity  of  the  church. 


386  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

The  First  church  dismissed  their  Afro-American  members  to  Park  Ave- 
nue church  purposely,  that  all  of  them  being  members  of  the  same 
church  they  would  be  in  their  organization  heartily  a  unit."  A  wise 
move,  ending  the  plea  of  distinction  and  removing  occasion  for  rival- 
ries. Originally,  the  church  numbered  twenty  to  twenty-five  members. 
Their  membership  in  1900  was  sixty-eight.  No  doubt  the  Paterson 
Baptists  have  provided  them  a  house  of  worship  and  such  ministerial 
support  for  their  growth,  as  they  have  needed. 

Ridgewood  has  the  name  of  Emmanuel  added  to  it.  It  was  a 
colony  of  Park  Avenue  church,  Paterson,  and  is  said  to  have  had  thirty- 
three  constituents.  The  North  Association  minutes  give  no  infor- 
mation of  the  origin  of  its  young  churches.  Rev.  J.  G.  Shrive  is  pub- 
lished as  pastor  in  1892,  closing  his  work  there  in  June  1893,  and  was 
followed  by  Mr.  G.  E.  Rincs  the  next  July.  In  that  year,  the  meeting 
house  was  occupied.  Pastor  Rines  resigned  in  1896  and  was  succeeded 
by  Mr.  F.  K.  Mathiews  in  1897,  who  was  ordained  in  April  1898.  In 
this  period  the  church  edifice  was  enlarged  and  later,  a  parsonage  was 
secured.  A  mission  Sunday  school  was  begun  in  a  neighboring  village. 
Mr.  Mathiews  was  pastor  in  1900. 

Sixth  Paterson  Baptist  church  had  its  origin  in  missionary  work 
of  Rev.  H.  Wood,  pastor  of  Park  Avenue  Baptist  church,  opening  a 
hall  on  Madison  avenue  in  August,  1892.  "While  first  knowm  as  Madison 
Avenue  Mission,  when  it  was  recognized  as  a  Baptist  church,  it  was 
constituted  as  Sixth  Baptist  church  of  Paterson.  The  church  was  not 
associated  until  1895  and  then  reported  a  membership  of  twenty-five. 
Rev.  C.  O.  Maltby  was  pastor  in  1895  and  is  now  (1900)  occupying  the 
pastorate.  The  membership  though  small,  is  thoroughly  in  earnest 
to  maintain  an  efficient  Baptist  church.  A  lot  for  a  house  of  worship 
was  provided  in  1898. 

Dr  Rogers  writes  of  Fourth  Paterson  that  it  was  a  little  band 
gathered  by  Rev.  Walter  Gallant.  Its  organization  was  perfected  in 
1879,  but  the  church  was  not  associated  till  1883.  In  1882,  they  num- 
bered sixteen  members.  Mr.  Gallant  was  pastor  for  more  than  six 
years,  resigning  in  1885.  Supplies  ministered  to  the  church  till  the 
fall  of  1887,  when  Rev.  A.  W.  Hand  became  pastor.  Dr.  Rogers 
had  a  part  in  getting  him  and  later  changed  his  membership  from  the 
First  church  to  the  Fourth  church. 

The  Doctor  habituated  himself  with  new  and  struggling  churches. 
Deacon  Joseph  Taylor  and  his  wife,  who  had  given  lots  to  the  Union 
Avenue  Mission,  died  in  the  first  year  of  Pastor  Hand's  oversight  and 
they,  having  left  a  legacy  for  mission  uses,  steps  were  taken  to  build  a 
house  of  worship,     The  community  also  gave  aid.  Pastor  Hand  resigned 


FOURTH  PATERSON.  387 

in  1891.  Rev.  E.  W.  Stone  settled  in  April  1892,  and  was  pastor  about 
three  years.  A  few  months  later,  Rev.  J.  Sullivan  accepted  a  call  to 
be  pastor  and  is  in  1900  ministering  to  the  church.  The  church  has 
had  four  pastors,  all  of  them  useful  and  the  church  is  planted  in  the 
truth  and  in  the  confidence  of  the  community. 


0^ 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 


BLOOMLXGDALE  AND  LAFAYETTE. 

The  Baptist  church  of  Bloomingdale  is  located  about  twelve 
miles  from  Paterson  and  was  organized  as  a  church  in  1826.  After 
a  conference,  the  several  Baptist  families  in  the  vicinity  decided  to  form 
a  Baptist  church.  Lacking  a  house  of  worship  they  met  in  each  other's 
homes.  An  owner  of  an  old  mill  fitted  up  a  room  in  it  for  their  accom- 
modation. Not  having  a  pastor,  the  meetings  were  led  by  the  mem- 
bers. Baptists  had  been  accustomed  to  go  to  Paterson  and  commune 
there.  It  was  a  long  ride,  but  fellowship  vnth  their  Lord  and  with 
their  brethren  induced  them  to  take  it.  Seemingly,  twelve  and  more 
years  were  gone  in  this  way.  when  Rev.  C.  Brinkerhoff  visited  them  and 
was  chosen  pastor.     A  meeting  house  was  finally  built  in  1841. 

Mr.  Brinkerhoff  "served  the  church  for  several  years,"  and  others 
followed,  Rev.  L.  F.  Stelle,  E.  S.  Browe  and  William  Hawley.  Mr. 
Brinkerhoff  was  recalled  in  1860,  remaining  three  years.  The  church 
edifice  that  he  had  been  the  means  of  building  twenty  years  before, 
was  badly  out  of  repair,  but  gathering  funds  was  enlarged  and  bettered. 
Other  pastors,  J.  W.  Marsh,  J.  B.  Case,  J.  Babbage,  J.  Gill,  J.  M.  Car- 
penter, J.  W.  Marsh,  the  second  time.  Financial  troubles  caused 
dissent  and  there  was  an  interruption  of  pastoral  ser^'ice  till  1877,  when 
Rev.  J.  G.  Entrekin  became  pastor  for  three  years.  Mr.  Entrekin 
associated  himself  with  Mr.  Vreeland  at  Echo  Lake  and  preached  at 
Bloomingdale  only,  on  Lord's  day.  Mr.  E.  E.  Ball  reorganized  the 
Sunday  schoool  about  this  time.  In  1880,  a  good  parsonage  was 
built  near  to  the  house  of  worship  and  paid  for.  Other  pastors  of  the 
church  have  been:  A.  E.  Foote,  S.  V.  Robinson,  C.  C.  Lathrop,  E.  C. 
Weeks,  S.  U.  Edwards,  E.  B.  Morris,  J.  W.  Lissendon.  There  have 
been  sixteen  pastors.  The  church  edifice  has  undergone  divers  en- 
largements and  refumishings.  It  has  been  kept  in  order  and  includes 
such  conveniences  and  appliances  as  conform  it  to  modem  ideas. 

The  church  at  Lafayette  organized  in  1830,  is  really  second  New- 
ton. Wantage,  (now  Deckerto-mi)  was  First  Newton  till  1790.  Two 
houses  of  worship  were  built  by  First  Newton;  both  in  Newton  to-mi- 
ship.  One,  near  Augusta  and  one  near  Hamburg.  One,  that  near 
Hamburg  was  removed  to  Wantage.  Many  Baptist  families  were  left 
in  Newton  township  tributary  to  Augusta.  Lafayette  was  chosen  as 
a  location  for  a  church  edifice  because  of  its  convenience  to  members 


LAFAYETTE  AND  FIRST  NEWTON  389 

living  in  Newton  township.  A  church  had  been  organized  at  Frankfort 
which  later  disbanded.  The  original  church  removed  to  Wantage  in 
1772,  fifty-eight  years  before  the  church  at  Lafayette  was  organized. 
For  some  time  Pastor  Teasdale  preached  in  the  county  seat,  the 
village  of  Newton,  in  connection  with  the  Baptist  church  at  Lafayette, 
and  on  June  13th,  1835,  a  resolution  was  passed  by  the  church  granting 
letters  of  dismission  to  all  members  that  lived  in  a  line  from  Brother 
Benjamin  Northrup  to  Brother  Jacob  Strader"  that  may  desire  to  join 
in  constituting  a  church  in  the  village  of  Newton,  which  was  organized 
June  18th,  1853  and  recognized  as  the  second  Baptist  church  of  New- 
ton, now  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Newton. 

The  constituent  members  were:  Rev.  John  Teasdale,  Benjamin 
Northrup,  John  Hall,  John  Stiger,  D.  H.  Strong,  John  Perry,  D.  Crater, 
J.  Himenover,  A.  Petit,  Jr.,  W.  S.  Hibler,  Susan  B.  Teasdale  Sarah 
Northrup,  Maria  Trusdale,  Emma  Strubble,  Emeline  Himenover,  Abbie 
Hibler,  Nancy  Matthews,  Ruth  Pettie,  Sarah  Hill,  Phoebe  Goble,  Mary 
Goble,  Eliza  Stiger,  Margaret  Perry,  Elizabeth  Emmons,  Pheobe  Hardy, 
Phoebe  Sheeler.  In  all  twenty-six.  For  some  time  the  church  worship- 
ped in  the  court  house,  but  an  edifice  was  built  in  the  village  where  the 
church  has  since  remained.  Mrs.  Hull,  whose  husband  was  a  deacon  of 
the  First  church,  Newton,  began  the  erection  of  a  church  edifice  at  an 
old  cemetery.  Later,  she  died  the  house  unfinished,  and  the  house 
was  sold  and  its  proceeds  were  applied  to  the  cemetary  fence.  The 
church  of  Lafayette  was  wholly  composed  of  the  members  of  First  New- 
ton or  of  their  descendants.  The  church  also  Ijought  the  old  property 
at  Augusta.  In  the  minutes  of  the  Wantage  church  September  2nd, 
1820,  application  was  made  for  the  services  of  Rev.  Mr.  Hall  by  the 
Frankford  church  in  Frankford  towTiship.  On  the  third  Lord's  day  of 
September,  1820,  this  Lafayette  church,  worshipping  in  Frankford  town- 
ship, asked  the  Wantage  church  to  consent  for  Rev.  Mr.  Hall  to  spend 
the  third  Lord's  day  with  them  and  baptize  and  preach.  Also  in 
March,  1821,  when  Lafayette  was  worshipping  in  the  same  place  the 
Rev.  N.  HoUey  asked  Wantage  church  for  letters  of  dismission  to  unite 
at  Frankford. 

On  May  27th,  1848,  this  Newton  church  changed  their  name  to 
Lafayette,  the  name  of  the  township  in  which  they  were.  The  corporate 
name,  however,  is  the  original  name.  At  the  recognition  of  the  church, 
Rev.  Mr.  Fletcher,  pastor  of  Wantage,  baptized  two,  increasing  the 
number  of  the  constituents.  Pastor  Fletcher  supplied  Newton  church 
till  January  1831  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  John  Teasdale  on  January 
1831 .  Mr.  Teasdale  remained  five  years,  a  period  of  continuous  blessing 
The  membership  grew  from  twenty-six  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-six 


390  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

even  though  a  colony  of  twenty-eight,  left  to  form  a  church  in  Newton, 
the  county  seat.  In  this  time  Mr.  Teasdale  was  also  pastor  at  Hamburg, 
and  gave  up  his  charge  at  Lafayette  to  care  for  the  colony  that  Lafayette 
had  sent  to  Newton.  Rev.  William  H.  Spencer  followed  Mr.  Teasdale 
at  Lafayette,  staying  two  years.  The  short  pastorates  of  the  Teasdale 
brothers  in  New  Jersey  was  due  to  the  great  demand  for  them  by  the 
churches.  Rev.  C.  Brinkerhoff  was  pastor  in  1840-42.  Chancy  Adams 
was  ordained  in  1843  and  died  in  1845. 

C.  Cox  was  pastor  in  1847  but  died  in  July  1848.  The  removal  af 
these  pastors  was  a  great  affliction  to  the  church  and  to  the  community. 
Rev.  Thomas  Davis  followed  Mr.  Cox,  remaining  till  1850.  Then,  Rev. 
J.  L.  Barlow  served  for  an  indefinite  period.  There  is  an  unhistoric 
period  from  1850  to  1859,  when  Rev.  Thomas  Davis  began  a  second 
charge,  which  was  a  great  blessing.  Many  were  added  to  the  church 
by  baptism  and  the  inspiration  of  a  new  life  was  infused  into  the  church. 
Mr.  Davis  concluded  his  labors  in  Lafayette  in  February  1862.  The 
next  March,  the  mother  church  and  the  daughter  united  in  a  pastorate 
under  Rev.  L.  Morse  and  enjoyed  many  rich  blessings  under  his  charge. 
He  closed  his  pastorate  in  June  1866.  Pastors  following  averaged 
about  two  years,  and  were:  J.  A.  Taylor,  A.  J.  Adams,  ordained; 
S.  Case,  A.  H.  Robinson,  W.  Frey,  under  Mr.  Frey  a  new  sanctuary  was 
begun,  a  financial  crisis,  delayed  its  completion. 

Then  one  member,  wearied  by  the  prevalent  stupor,  collected 
hundreds  of  dollars  and  cau.sed  the  old  house  to  be  moved  to  the  found- 
ations of  the  new  building,  which,  when  enlarged  and  improved,  was 
rededicated  in  1880.  A  pastor  was  called,  J.  P.  Judson,  who  continued 
tin  April,1882,  when  he  died.  Next  year,  1883,  Rev.  J.  B.  Babbage 
settled  as  pastor.  A  parsonage  was  bought  and  the  house  of  worship 
improved.  But  again,  Death  smote  the  pastor  while  on  the  cars,  in 
January,  1890,  on  his  way  to  meet  friends.  Mr.  Babbage  had  "labored 
untiringly  in  retired  fields  with  a  meagre  salary,  but  a  complaining 
word  was  never  heard  from  his  lips."  "He  walked  with  God  and  was 
not;  for  God  took  him." 

After  a  year  of  supplies,  in  February  1891,  Rev.  E.  W.  Lamb 
became  pastor.  Converts  were  baptized;  all  debts  were  paid,  and  a 
merciful  provision  was  made  for  the  shelter  of  the  horses  which  brought 
worshippers  to  the  house  of  God.  As  if  the  cup  of  sorrow  was  not  full; 
at  night  on  the  last  day  of  1896,  Pastor  Lamb  died  and  with  God,  rested 
from  a  busy  life.  Thus  for  the  fifth  time,  the  Shepherd  of  the  flock 
was  taken  from  it.  Mr.  F.  G.  Eland  entered  the  pastorate  in  April 
1897,  and  is  now  (1900)  pastor  of  the  church.  Nineteen  pastors  have 
ministered  to  the  church.     Five  of  them  have  died  in  the  pastorate, 


LAFAYETTE  Sdl 

Tho  rural  seclusion  of  the  church,  a  sparse  population  and  possibly 
limited  finances  may  account  for  short  pastorates.  Frequent  pastoral 
changes  and  long  intervals  between  pastors.  One  pastor  has  had  a 
second  charge.  Two  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  One 
church  has  been  colonized.  The  outlook  is  better  than  when  the  church 
was  constituted.  R.  Roads  will  develop  the  retired  sections,  bring- 
ing citizens  into  the  country. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


HACKENSACK,  MT.  SALEM,   RAHWAY   AND   NEW   DURHAM 

The  records  of  the  early  Baptist  movements  in  Hackensack  are 
lost.  It  is  known  however,  that  Rev.  J.  W.  Griffiths,  pastor  in  Rock- 
land County,  N.  Y.  visited  Hackensack  and  organized  the  First  Baptist 
church  in  1832,  with  about  twenty  constituents.  Various  adversities 
befell  the  church,  deaths,  removals,  so  that  Deacon  William  DeWolf, 
his  wife  and  daughter,  enough,  as  the  Saviour  said  to  claim  his  presence 
and  to  constitute  a  Baptist  church,  remained  (Matt.  18:20).  Public 
service  was  suspended  on  account  of  the  fewness  of  Baptist  members. 
While  Rev.  Z.  Grenelle  was  in  his  second  pastorate  at  Paterson,  1848-52, 
he  visited  Hackensack  and  the  church  was  reorganized.  Deacon  De- 
Wolf  and  his  wife,  accepted  letters  of  Baptists,  who  settled  in  the  town 
and  a  way  was  opened  for  a  renewal  of  public  worship  and  preaching. 

About  twenty  years  after,  on  the  seventh  of  April  1870,  at  a  meeting 
in  the  home  of  Deacon  DeWolf,  the  Baptists  decided  to  hold  a  weekly 
meeting  for  prayer  at  their  homes  and  on  the  3rd  of  July,  1870,  they 
again  reorganized  the  Baptist  church  with  ten  members.  Mr.  J.  O. 
Hilligar  was  chosen  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school.  The  Rev. 
Z.  Grenelle  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years,  became  pastor.  Chiefly 
through  the  personal  effort  of  Mr.  G.  H.  Atwood  lots  were  purchased 
and  a  meeting  house  begun  in  September  1870  and  dedicated  December 
30th,  1870.  Mr.  Grenelle  was  pastor  till  in  his  seventy-ninth  year,  he, 
having  also  charge  in  Paterson,  his  third  there  extending  from  1874  to 
1881.  Rev.  R.  McGonegal  followed  Mr.  Grenelle  for  three  years. 
D.  R.  Phillips  succeeded;  was  found  out  and  excluded  in  the  year  of 
his  settlement.  D.  T.  McClymont  was  pastor  five  years  and  enjoyed 
rich  blessings  on  his  labors,  resigning  in  1882.  In  1883,  Rev.  R.  M. 
Harrison  settled  for  two  years,  after  whom  came  Rev.  C.  S.  Scott,  whose 
stay  was  only  that  of  months.  On  September  1st,  1887,  Rev.  C.  Woelf- 
kin  entered  as  pastor.  The  old  debt  was  paid.  A  parsonage  built  and 
encumbered  with  the  debt  of  its  cost.  This  pastor  resigned  in  Septem- 
ber 1892,  to  the  painful  regret  of  the  church. 

D.  D.  Read  became  pastor  in  September  1892.  While  pastor,  the 
debt  on  the  parsonage  was  reduced  to  two  thousand  dollars  and  the 
place  of  worship  was  enlarged  and  improved.  Mr.  Read's  antecedents 
becoming  known,  he  resigned  and  united  with  another  denomination. 
Sixty  members  were  dismissed  and  constituted  the  Calvary  Baptist 


HACKENSACK  Sd3 

church.  Rev.  G.  R.  Stair  entered  the  pastoral  office  in  July  1899  and 
was  pastor  in  1900.  Large  congregations  waited  on  his  ministry.  On 
account  of  the  misunderstanding  and  divisions  touching  Mr.  Read, 
the  spiritual  and  general  welfare  of  the  church  was  seriously  depressed. 
Pastor  Stair  has  happily  overcome  these,  and  cheer  and  encouragement 
have  followed. 

Churches  multiply  by  colonizing  and  by  missions;  sometimes,  though 
rarely,  they  increase  by  differences.  These  often  ripen  into  the  con- 
viction, that  the  welfare  of  the  cause  of  God  in  the  world  will  be  promot- 
ed by  a  peaceful  separation  rather  than  by  a  union  of  dissenting  ele- 
ments. So  it  was  in  Hackensack.  Neither  quarrel  nor  even  dispute, 
but  peaceful  and  quiet  separation  resulted.  The  Calvary  Baptist 
church  by  letters  of  dismission  from  the  First  Baptist  church,  with  the 
intent  to  constitute  a  church  in  a  destitute  and  distant  part  of  the 
town,  where  neither  rivalry  or  contention  could  be  supplied  to  be  a 
motive. 

Dissent  touching  the  pastors'  antecedents,  was  a  means  among 
this  kindly  people  to  multiply  the  agencies  of  good.  At  a  meeting 
on  May  5th,  1895,  at  the  home  of  William  E.  Taylor,  twenty-seven 
Baptists  made  a  temporary  organization;  when  a  devotional  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  arrange  for  social  and  other  weekly  meetings. 
These  grew  in  number  and  in  interest  till  the  advisability  of  organizing 
a  second  Baptist  church  in  Hackensack  was  questioned.  Counsel 
with  pastors  and  Baptists  abroad  confirmed  the  conviction  and  it  was 
decided  to  organize  a  second  Baptist  church.  On  September  6th, 
1896,  public  service  was  held  in  a  Hall.  Rev.  J.  K.  Folwell  preaching. 
Thenceforth,  this  service  was  maintained  uninterruptedly;  Mr.  Folwell 
preaching.  On  November  24th,  1896,  in  the  evening,  forty  three 
Baptists,  by  pre\aous  agreement,  constituted  themselves  a  regular 
Baptist  church.  In  due  time  a  Sunday  school  and  the  usual  instru- 
mentality of  Christian  activities,  were  put  in  working  order.  Rev.  J.  K. 
Folwell,  who  had  been  a  regular  supply  and  pastor  was  called  to  be 
pastor  and  entered  on  his  duties.  As  yet,  the  building  of  a  church 
edifice  had  not  been  planned  for. 

But  in  December  1899,  an  offer  of  four  thousand  dollars  was  re- 
ceived from  Deacon  Conklin  and  Mrs.  Conklin  for  that  use.  Mr.  Conklin 
had  been  a  Deacon  of  First  Hackensack  church  and  was  one  of  the 
constituents  of  the  Calvary  church.  He  was  in  hearty  sympathy  with 
the  plan  to  increase  Baptist  forces  in  Hackensack.  On  the  18th  of 
February,  1900,  the  church  occupied  their  house  of  worship,  which  they 
say  "is  replete  with  every  modern  convenience."  Pastor  P^olwell 
having  enjoyed  entrance  into  the  new  church  edifice  and  shared  in  its 


394  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

dedication,  resigned  on  March  1st,  1900.  In  the  next  October,  1900, 
Rev.  E.  T.  Sanford  settled  as  pastor.  Deacon  Conklin  also  died  this 
year.  But  not  until  he  had  seen  his  desire  and  another  Baptist  church 
for  which  he  had  prayed  was  constituted  and  had  worshipped  in  its 
sanctuary.  The  church  has  had  two  pastors  and  one  house  of  worship 
blessings  attended  his  labors.  A  peculiarity  of  First  Hackensack  is 
its  twofold  reorganization,  extending  over  nearly  forty  years. 

Deacon  DeWolf  and  his  family  are  special  figures  in  the  h'story  of 
the  First  Baptist  church.  This  good  man  said  to  Z.  Grenelle  when  he 
was  called  to  be  pastor:  "I  will  stand  by  you,  if  you  will  come  and  be 
responsible  for  your  support."  He  could  not  mean,  that  the  pastor 
should  care  for  himself,  but  rather,  that  in  coming,  Mr.  Grenelle  must 
assume  the  conditions  under  which  he  became  pastor.  For  forty-years 
he  and  his  family  had  stood  alone  for  Christ  and  his  truth  and  antici- 
pated the  possibilities  of  the  coming  of  a  pastor.  Deacon  DeWolf  and 
his,  now  enjoy  the  approval  of  his  Lord  and  King  in  glory.  Deacon 
Conkling  was  a  man  of  the  same  quality.  He  united  with  others  in  the 
constitution  of  the  Calvary  church  and  he  has  been  a  means  of  great 
blessing  to  it. 

Mount  Salem  Baptist  church  was  constituted  in  November,  1833. 
A  colony  of  eighty-five  members  came  out  of  Orange  church  in  New 
York,  under  the  lead  of  Deacon  J.  M.  Carpenter.  Mr.  Carpenter  has 
been  identified  with  Baptist  interests  in  New  Jersey  many  years.  He 
united  with  the  Orange  church  in  New  York,  by  baptism  in  January 
1825.  He  was  chosen  deacon  of  that  church  in  New  York  State  about 
1836.  Mr.  Carpenter  was  born  in  New  York  State,  near  Mount  Salem. 
The  Orange  church  originated  in  New  Jersey  from  second  Wantage 
under  the  pastoral  care  of  Z.  Grenelle.  (See  Second  Wantage  His- 
tory). 

Previously  in  1829-30,  a  house  of  worship  had  been  built  at  Mt. 
Salem  by  Mr.  Grenelle,  pastor  at  Orange,  New  York  State.  Rev.  L.  O. 
Grenelle,  son  of  Z.  Grenelle  says:  "I  heard  father  tell  the  ease  with 
which  he  raised  the  money  for  the  house  at  Mt.  Salem.  The  building 
was  36x44  feet."  Antinomianism  divided  the  Mt.  Salem  church,  but, 
"both  parties  used  the  old  house  till  the  erection  of  the  new  house"  in 
1855-6.  The  antinomian  party  has  long  since  died  and  their  place  of 
worship  has  been  as  silent  as  the  grave.  The  first  pastor,  was  Rev. 
Samuel  White,  who  was  pastor  from  the  organization  to  1836.  In  1834, 
the  church  joined  the  New  York  Association.  Three  members  were 
licensed  to  preach  under  Mr.  ^Vllite's  administration.  The  church  was 
dismissed  fom  the  New  York  vVssociation  in  1837  at  its  own  request  to 
unite  with  the  Sussex  Association. 


MOUNT  SALEM  AND    RAHWAY  395 

Rev.  J.  B.  Case  was  pastor  in  1837-8.  Succeeding  pastors  were: 
Samuel  Crenelle,  1839;  J.  R.  Morris,  1840;  H.  C.  Hazen,  1841;  C.  Brink- 
erhoff,  1843-44;  S.  Case,  1848-56.  The  second  meeting  house  was 
built  under  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Case,  1855-56;  R.  Fisher,  1858-61; 
Supply,  1862-63;  J.  L.  Bennett,  1864-66;  Stephen  Case,  1867-70;  second 
pastorate;  J.  Gesner,  1871;  C.  Brinkerhoff,  1873-76,  second  charge; 
E.  Thompson,  1877,  ordained  1878-79;  no  pastor  1880-83;  M.  M.  Fogg, 
1882-86;  no  pastor,  1886-88;  S.  Case,  1888-89,  third  charge;  A.  O.  Gil- 
more,  1894-95;  S.  U.  Edward,  1896-1900.  Seventeen  pastors  have 
ministered  to  the  church.  Mr.  Brinkerhoff  has  had  two,  and  Mr.  S. 
Case,  three  pastorates.  The  second  house  of  worship  was  erected. 
The  first  house  having  been  built  before  the  church  was  formed  and 
had  been  in  use  twenty-seven  years.  The  church  experienced  a  division 
on  account  of  Antinomianism. 

Originally  the  site  of  Rahway  was  divided  into  three  districts, 
separated  by  marshes.  The  northern  district  was  Rahway  proper, 
in  which  several  churches  had  been  located.  In  each  of  these  districts, 
were  Baptist  families,  who  occasionally  met  in  social  meetings  as  early 
as  1832.  To  them,  pastors  at  Plainfield,  Samptown  and  New  Bruns- 
wick preached.  Fourteen  resident  Baptists  decided  in  March  1833, 
to  constitute  a  Baptist  church.  Rev.  B.  C.  Morse  was  the  first  who 
was  baptized  into  Rahway  church. 

Later  he  entered  the  Baptist  ministry  and  proved  an  able  minister 
of  the  New  Testament.  A  donation  of  lots  on  which  to  build  a  house 
of  worship  was  made  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Frazee  and  the  building  was  begun. 
Subsequently,  a  more  central  location  was  proffered,  where  a  good 
house  was  built.  Rev.  M.  Barlow  became  pastor  in  July  1834,  and 
enjoyed  prosperity  in  the  year  in  which  he  ministered  to  the  church. 
The  membership  in  that  year  grew  from  fourteen  to  forty-six.  In 
the  spring  of  1836,  Mr.  S.  J.  Drake  was  called  and  on  May  6th,  was 
ordained  as  pastor.  Mr.  Drake  resigned  in  July  1839.  Another  long 
interim  came,  but  on  July  29th,  1840,  Mr.  D.  H.  Gillette  was  ordained 
for  the  pastorate.  Ill  health,  however,  compelled  his  resignation  in  the 
spring  of  1842. 

Soon  after  he  died  the  death  of  the  righteous.  Rev.  J.  B.  Breed 
settled  as  pastor  June  1st,  1842,  continuing  but  eight  months.  In 
this  period,  one  hundred  and  ten  were  baptized.  The  shortest  pastorate 
had  thus  the  largest  revival  the  church  has  enjoyed.  Mr.  William 
Rollinson  was  called  to  be  pastor  in  May  1843,  but  a  previous  engage- 
ment prevented  an  acceptance.  In  the  next  month,  the  call  was  re- 
newed for  acceptance  at  the  end  of  his  engagement.  This  was  accepted 
and  he  was  ordained  on  November  28th,  1843. 


396  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

His  first  charge  at  Rahway  lasted  six  years.  In  it,  the  debt  on 
their  house  was  paid.  Lots  were  bought  and  a  chapel  built  for  the 
Sunday  school  and  for  social  uses.  Rev.  W.  H.  Wines  was  pastor  from 
June  1st,  1850  for  three  years.  The  small  salary  limited  his  service. 
On  June  19th,  1853,  Pastor  William  B.  Tolan  entered  on  his  duties. 
Troubles  came  and  Mr.  Tolan  resigned  on  December  18th,  1855.  In 
May  1856,  Mr.  RoUinson  arrived  in  New  York  and  on  July  1st,  1856 
began  his  second  charge,  that  lasted  for  more  than  eight  years.  A 
local  missionary  was  employed.  The  meeting  house  remodeled.  Two 
mission  Sunday  schools  established;  one  of  which  became  a  Baptist 
church. 

The  Civil  War  began  in  1861 .  The  financial  derangement  wrought 
serious  changes  and  Mr.  RoUinson  resigned  in  November  1863.  In 
September  1865,  Rev.  E.  E.  Jones  settled  and  resigned  in  October  1868. 
C.  G.  Gurr  followed  and  closed  his  labors.  After  Mr.  Gurr,  came  E.  A. 
Wheeler  on  February  1st,  1871.  Ill  health  compelled  him  to  suspend 
his  work  and  on  his  return  from  the  South  he  resigned  in  August  1874. 
Rev.  A.  C.  Lyon  had  some  relation  to  Rahway  church  and  propositions 
to  unite  the  mother  and  daughter  (Irving  street)  and  various  plans  to 
relieve  the  strait  of  the  times  were  under  consideration.  At  this  time 
the  thoughts  of  the  people  clustered  about  their  former  pastor,  William 
RoUinson  and  a  call  was  sent  to  him  for  a  third  pastorate  in  1875. 

He  accepted,  remaining  tiU  his  death,  December  27th,  1891.  In 
all  he  had  been  pastor  three  times  and  in  aU  thirty  years  and  more. 
Mr.  RoUinson  was  an  able  preacher,  a  high  toned  Calvinist  and  so  did 
not  wear  out  or  tire  his  hearers  and  returned  to  the  sanctuary,  confident, 
not  in  the  man,  but  in  the  message  he  brought  to  them.  Several  of  his 
sermons  have  been  published  by  an  unanimous  vote  of  the  body  thej' 
were  preached  to.  Six  members  have  been  licen.sed  to  preach.  The 
first  house  of  worship  w-as  in  use  more  than  forty  years.  The  second, 
begun  in  1876,  is  now  in  use.  Twelve  pastors  have  ministered  to  the 
church.  One  held  the  office  three  times,  at  intervals  of  .six  and  twelve 
years  and  each  succeeding  charge  longer  than  the  preceding  one,  and 
the  last  up  to  his  death,  sixteen  years. 

New  Durham  Baptist  church  was  constituted  as  Seaconcus  in 
March  1837.  Rev.  J.  Houghout  was  its  pastor  from  the  beginning  to 
1838.  Rev.  H.  Davis  followed,  closing  his  pastorate  in  January  1844. 
Then  Rev.  G.  F.  Hendrickson  became  pastor  and  was  foUowed  by  Rev. 
R.  Thompson.  In  1847,  Mr.  Hendrickson  was  recaUed  continuing  till 
1852.  The  church  first  joined  the  Hudson  River  Association  and 
joined  the  East  New  Jersey  Association  in  1848.  One  of  the 
members  was  licensed  to  preach  while  Mr.  Hendrickson  was  pastor. 


NEW  DURHAM  397 

Repairs  and  changes  were  made  in  the  meeting  house  in  1851.  In  Mr, 
Hendrickson's  charge,  growth  and  increase  were  enjoyed.  Rev.  J. 
Perry  settled  in  1852  and  in  1854  they  sold  their  old  church  edifice, 
getting  a  better  location  and  in  February  1855,  dedicated  the  basement 
of  their  new  house  of  worship. 

The  next  year, 1856,  their  sanctuary  was  completed  and  dedicated. 
At  the  beginning  of  1858,  Mr.  Perry  resigned.  Supplies  served  the 
church  till  the  close  of  1859,  when  J.  W.  Gibbs  became  pastor  and 
retired  in  1862.  Rev.  H.  H.  Bawden  was  pastor  after  Mr.  Gibbs  in 
1863  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  W.  D.  Wright  for  three  years  to  1866. 
Piistor  J.  A.  Metz  served  in  1867  and  then  Rev.  G.  F.  Hendrickson  had  a 
third  charge  of  two  years,  in  which  a  special  work  of  grace  was  enjoyed 
and  the  mortgage  on  the  church  was  cancelled.  Mr.  Hendrickson 
resigned  in  October,  1869.  The  following  pastors  succeeded  were: 
J.  E.  Perrine,  1869-71;  T.  F.  Clancy,  1871-74;  F.  Scott,  1875-79;  Mr. 
Reed  came  and  removed  the  same  year.  R.  M.  Harrison,  1881-82; 
E.  N.  Harding,  1883-86;  L.  W.  Giles,  1886-87;  C.  S.  Daniels,  1891-92. 
From  1887  to  91  there  was  a  permanent  supply,  also  in  the  interval 
of  1892-94.  In  1894-1900,  Mr.  W.  L.  Wardell  was  pastor.  A  parson- 
age was  built  in  1896.  Two  houses  of  worship  were  built  by  the  church. 
One  was  sold  in  1854,  on  account  of  its  location.  Twenty  pastors  have 
ministered  to  the  church.  One  of  them  was  pastor  three  times  and 
enjoyed  prosperity  in  each  period  and  more  in  the  last  term  than  in 
others. 


W^ 


CHAPTER  XLI. 


ORANGE    AND  OLD  BRIDGE. 


Mr.  John  Hatt,  a  licentiate  of  tlip  North  Church,  New  York  City, 
originated  by  his  immediate  personality  the  First  Baptist  church  of 
Orange.  Baptist  families  of  New  York  had  mo\'ed  to  Orange  and  were 
accustomed  to  meet  on  the  Lord's  day  in  their  homes  for  worship  under 
the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Hatt,  who  though  more  than  three  score 
years  old  and  in  infirm  health,  delighted  in  the  work  of  God  and  main- 
tained the  meetings  with  unabated  interest  until  these  Baptists  decided 
in  December  1836  to  constitute  a  Baptist  church. 

At  an  appointed  time,  June  14th,  1837,  fifteen  disciples  consummat- 
ed their  fellowship  in  the  organization  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of 
Orange.  Mr.  Hatt  united  with  them  in  their  covenant.  The  school 
house  was  the  place  of  worship  on  the  Lord's  day  and  the  house  of  Mr. 
Hatt  the  place  for  social  meetings.  Nearly  three  years  passed  before 
the  church  had  a  pastor,  in  the  meantime  the  memberehip  grew  to 
twenty-six,  chiefly  by  baptism.  Limited  means  prevented  the  erection 
of  a  meeting  house.  In  1840,  Rev.  J.  Beetham  was  called  to  be  pastor, 
remaining  one  year.  A  Sunday  school  was  begun.  On  January  3rd 
1843,  Josiah  Hatt  was  ordained  for  pastor.     He  remained  till  in  1844. 

Forty  members  were  added  to  the  church  in  1843.  Thirty-one  of 
them  were  baptized  and  it  was  resolved  to  begin  the  erection  of  a  house 
of  worship  on  August  30th,  1843.  Josiah  Hatt  was  the  son  of  the 
beloved  John  Hatt  and  on  his  resignation  in  October  1844,  he  returned 
to  his  studies,  despite  the  protests  of  the  church.  AVhile  pastor,  a  house 
of  worship  was  so  far  finished  that  the  basement  was  opened  for  worship 
January  1st,  1844.  Rev.  I.  N.  Church  became  pastor  in  October  1844, 
closing  his  labors  at  Orange  in  May  1848.  Mr.  J.  McLeod  supplied 
the  church  for  three  months  and  was  ordained  for  pastor  January  3rd, 
1849,  remaining  till  April  1851.  Mr.  E.  T.  Hunt  was  ordained  in  Janu- 
ary 1852  and  supplied  the  church  till  March  1853.  Worship  continued 
in  the  basement  until  1859.  A  legacy  of  one  thousand  dollars  left  by 
Col.  M.  Reynolds  of  Newark,  made  it  possible  to  finish  the  upper  room. 
W.  D.  Hedden  had  been  licensed  by  the  church  in  1853  and  in  1855  was 
called  to  be  pastor. 

Pastor  Hedden  served  the  church  for  a  year  to  June  1856.  Again 
a  licentiate  ministered  to  early  in  1858  and  then  Mr.  Hedden  was  called 


FIRST  ORANGE  399 

to  a  second  charge.  From  1860-70  the  minutes  have  disappeared.  In 
February  1881,  the  following  was  adopted: 

Whereas,  Rev.  W.  D.  Hedden  has  faithfully  served  this  church 
as  its  pastor  for  twenty-five  years, 

Resolved,  That  we  celebrate  the  coming  anniversary  with  such 
exercises  as  shall  be  fitting  for  the  occasion. 

A  full  week  of  happiness  was  enjoyed  in  the  second  week  of  Ma)' 
1881.  The  completion  of  their  church  edifice  and  the  increase  of  pop- 
ulation, by  the  overflow  from  New  York  City  introduced  problems  of 
church  extension.  Those  resident  in  the  vicinity  of  the  house  of  wor- 
ship decided  to  maintain  worship  in  it.  Those  hving  in  North  Orange 
resolved  to  organize  a  Baptist  church  in  that  neighborhood.  A  hall 
had  been  rented  and  services  begun  in  it  in  1857  and  the  North  Orange 
church  was  constituted  that  year.  On  February  1st,  1882,  Pastor 
Hedden  resigned,  his  resignation  previously  having  been  rejected.  In 
the  next  May  Rev.  William  F.  Taylor  settled  as  pastor  on  July  1st,  1882, 
remaining  till  May  1st,  1889. 

Seven  years  of  useful  and  efficient  service.  Rev.  J.  A.  Chambliss 
followed  Mr.  Taylor  September  1st,  1889.  About  this  time,  lots  were 
bought  in  a  new  location  on  which  to  build  a  new  sanctuary.  This 
house  was  begun  in  1891  and  dedicated  in  June  1892,  contrasted  with 
the  first  house  begun  in  1844  and  dedicated  in  1859.  Fifteen  years  in 
progress,  illustrates  the  growth  of  the  church  and  of  its  resoiu'ces.  This 
last  house  was  beautiful  in  location  and  as  much  so  in  its  architecture 
and  appointments  for  convenience  and  fitness  for  church  work.  Pastor 
Chambliss  resigned  in  June,  1899,  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  D.  D.  Munro 
in  December  1899.  Members  have  been  dismissed  who,  with  others 
have  constituted  churches.  The  North  church,  however,  is  the  own 
child  of  First  Orange  and  this,  with  not  only  the  entire  accord  of  the 
North  church,  but  with  special  reference  to  advancing  the  Kingdom  of 
God  Some  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  The  church  has 
had  twelve  pastors.  Special  mention  should  be  made  of  John  Hatt. 
For  several  years,  he  cared  for  the  field  and  the  coming  church.  His 
home  was  the  place  of  meeting  for  prayer  for  years  and  he  was  more 
than  pastor.  Josiah,  his  son,  was  the  second  pastor.  Father  and  son 
were  much  alike:  Gentle,  loving,  godly  men.  Their  companionship, 
heavenly  and  their  memory  is  blessed.  It  will  inform  some  that  in 
1873,  the  First  Orange  Church  changed  its  designation  in  the  Associa- 
ation  minutes  to  East  Orange  Church,  signifying  its  location  as  distinct 
from  North  Orange  and  West  Orange  churches. 

North  Orange  church  had  an  origin  specially  characteristic  of 
Godliness.     In  1857,  the  First  Orange  Church  had  a  membership  of 


400  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

fifty  and  wiis  using  the  basement  of  an  unfinished  house,  wliich  it  had 
been  using  for  thirteen  years.  Baptists  in  North  Orange  asked:  "Can 
you  not  spare  us  now  and  you  in  East  Orange  care  for  the  First  church 
and  for  the  Baptists  living  hereabout?"  First  Orange  replied:  "Yes." 
Then  seventeen  took  letters  of  dismission  leaving  only  thirty-three 
in  a  population  imbued  with  the  demands  of  a  city  life.  The  seventeen 
hired  a  hall.  Ten  other  Baptists  joined  them.  A  Sunday  school  was 
begun.  And,  on  November  5th,  1857,  these  twenty-seven  constituted 
themselves  the  "North  Orange  church." 

In  the  meantime,  a  pastor  had  been  found,  Mr.  J.  B.  Morse  and  on 
the  day  set  for  the  recognition  of  the  church,  he  was  ordained.  Mr. 
Morse  resigned  in  1860  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  George  Webster. 
A  hindrance  to  secure  the  best  location  for  their  meeting  house,  delayed 
its  beginning.  However,  it  was  begun  in  1861.  Probably  the  fire 
which  burned  the  hall  where  the  church  met  for  worship  hastened  the 
building  of  the  church  edifice.  It  was  finished  and  in  use  in  1862. 
Rev.  G.  E.  Horr  settled  as  pastor  in  1863  and  resigned  in  1866.  Rev. 
J.  F.  Elder  became  pastor  in  1867  and  closed  his  pastorate  in  1870. 
Soon  after.  Rev.  Wm.  Hague  entered  on  the  pastoral  care.  In  1873, 
a  new  and  spacious  sanctuary  was  in  progress  and  dedicated  in  1874. 
Pastor  Hague  resigned  in  1875  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  Judson 
who  was  ordained  in  May  1875.  An  Orange  Valley  mission  chapel 
was  begun  in  1878.  Two  missionaries  were  employed  in  1879.  One 
for  the  valley  mission  and  one  for  the  Washington  street  mission. 
Pastor  Judson  resigned  in  1881  and  on  the  next  October,  Rev.  T.  S. 
Barbour  settled  as  pastor. 

Assistant  Pastor  H.  B.  Steelman  also  resigned  and  Rev.  R.  L. 
Martin  was  called  to  take  Mr.  Steelman's  place.  Mr.  Barbour  resigned 
in  September  1884  and  in  November  of  that  year,  a  colony  at  the 
Washington  street  mission  organized  as  a  Baptist  church.  Assistant 
Pastor,  J.  L.  Davis  entered  on  the  pastoral  care  of  Washington  street 
church.  Rev.  J.  T.  Dickinson  entered  on  the  charge  of  the  North 
Orange  church  in  1885.  By  the  erection  of  a  building  adapted  to 
Sunday  school  uses  in  1888,  special  opportunities  were  given  for  an  ad- 
vance in  that  department  of  Christian  work.  A  chapel  of  generous 
size  in  a  desirable  location  on  Prospect  street  was  completed  in  1895, 
costing  twelve  thousand  dollars.  Another  chapel  was  begun  at  Watch- 
ung  Heights  inW  est  Orange  in  1896.  Mr.  Dickinson  is  pastor  of  North 
Orange  church,  now  in  1900.  Numerous  missions  are  characteristic 
of  North  Orange  church,  an  accession  to  it  of  men  of  wealth  and  of 
positive  active  Christian  diligence,  enables  the  church  to  undertake 
enterprises  possible  to  but  few  churches. 


NORTH  ORANGE  AND  WASHINGTON  STREET  401 

Eight  pastors  have  served  the  church.  Of  them,  the  present  pastor 
has  held  the  pulpit  more  than  one  third  of  the  church  life,  excepting 
the  assistant  pastors.  Three  churches  have  been  colonized  from. 
North  Orange,  an  Afro- American,  Washington  Street  and  Prospect 
Street.  At  one  time,  thirty-five  young  men  were  being  educated  for 
the  ministry  in  whole  or  in  part  by  the  church.  Such  a  record  contrasts 
with  older  churches  that  have  become  weak  by  caring  for  themselves. 
One  member  of  the  church  is  President  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State 
Convention,  E.  J.  Brockett,  elected  in  1896  and  stiU  holding  the  trust 
and  that,  with  universal  confidence  in  his  intelligence  and  impartial- 
ity. 

The  Washington  street  church  was  colonized  from  North  Orange 
Baptist  church.  Previously  North  Orange  church  had  built  a  chapel 
on  Washington  street  and  had  employed  an  assistant  pastor,  Rev.  I. 
L.  Davis,  on  whom  was  devolved  the  special  charge  of  the  Washington 
Street  mission.  Mr.  Davis  was  engaged  to  care  for  it  in  1879  and  had 
it  under  his  care  for  about  four  years  before  its  constitution  as  a  church. 
Upon  its  organization  as  an  independent  body  with  a  membership  of 
thirty-nine  members,  he  being  one  of  them,  he  became  the  first  pastor. 
Grateful  mention  is  often  made  of  the  help  of  the  mother  church  and  of 
its  members.  Pastor  Davis  resigned  in  February  1886,  having  been 
identified  with  the  mission  six  years.  In  the  next  April,  Rev.  E.  D. 
Clough  became  pastor  and  at  the  end  of  six  years  he  removed  in  June 
1892.  Rev.  H.  Cross  settled  as  pastor  January  1st,  1893  continuing 
till  1896.  Mr.  Cross  was  followed  by  Rev.  P.  J.  Lux,  who  in  1900  still 
ministered  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people.  Four  pastors  have  served 
the  cliurch  with  the  full  average  of  prosperity. 

In  the  fall  of  1892,  two  members  of  North  Orange  church  and  two 
of  the  Washington  street  church  started  a  Sunday  school  in  a  Hall  on 
Prospect  street,  East  Orange.  J.  M.  Burr  of  North  Orange  church  was 
chosen  superintendent.  The  growth  of  the  school  and  the  interests 
clustering  about  it,  made  more  room  necessary  and  in  1894,  North 
Orange  church  bought  a  large  plot  of  ground  on  Prospect  street  and 
built  a  beautiful  and  roomy  chapel  on  it  at  a  cost  of  twelve  thousand 
dollars,  which  was  dedicated  in  February  1895  and  the  Prospect  Street 
church  was  constituted  in  July  1895,  with  a  membership  of  twenty- 
eight. 

North  Orange  sent  six  of  these:  Bloomfield,  and  Washington  St. 
(of  Orange)  churches  and  resident  Baptists  made  up  the  number  fifteen. 
Others  from  North  Orange  were  added  next  month.  Early  in  1895, 
Rev.  M.  G.  Coker  was  engaged  as  a  supply  and  when  the  church  was 
formed,  was  its  first  pastor,  remaining  till  1897.  On  January  26th, 
25 


402  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

1898,  Rev.  M.  V.  MacDuffio  became  pastor  and  was  still  in  office  in  1900. 
Pastor  Dickinson  of  North  Orange  church  offered  to  pay  four  thousand 
dollars  of  the  debt,  if  the  Prospect  Street  church  would  pay  one  thous- 
and in  the  next  three  years.  The  offer  was  gladly  accepted  and  within 
a  few  weeks,  the  church  paid  their  thousand  and  the  church  was  finan- 
cially unencumbered.  The  mother  church  has  thus  brightened  the 
future  of  the  young  church.  There  have  been  two  pastors  of  the 
church.  One  house  of  worship,  that  built  by  the  North  Orange  church, 
for  which  Prospect  church  has  paid  but  one  thousand  dollars.  North 
Orange  church  appears  thus  far  to  have  cancelled  (except  the  one  thous- 
and dollars)  all  claims  against  the  property. 

The  church  at  Washington,  South  River,  Middlesex  Co.,  had  lapsed 
into  Antinomianism  by  a  majority  vote,  in  and  about  1835.  The  minor- 
ity declined  to  assent  to  the  suicide.  Kingwood  lived  anew  in  Baptist- 
town  and  at  Washington,  Tabernacle  maintained  the  Baptist  name 
at  South  River  and  Herbertsville  redeemed  the  Baptist  name  from 
dishonor.  Not,  however,  till  the  minority  at  Washington  had  called  a 
council  to  advise  them. 

The  majority  repudiated  any  compromise,  whereupon  thirteen  mem- 
bers of  South  River  church,  met  with  a  council  called  at  Herbertsville  on 
November  4th,  1840,  and  were  recognized  as  the  Independent  Baptist 
church  of  Herbertsville.  There  is  some  obscurity  as  to  the  name  of  the 
church.  In  some  minutes  of  Association  it  is  Bethel  church  first 
Washington.  In  others,  Washington  and  Herbertsville.  The  Board  of 
the  State  Convention  sent  Rev.  William  V.  Wilson  to  preach  to  the  new 
church.  He  was  there  six  months  and  had  a  glad  welcome.  In  May,  1844, 
Rev.  S.  Sproul  was  pastor  closing  his  labors  there  in  1848.  The  next  Jan- 
uary ReA'.  L.  S.Stelle  was  pastor  for  two  years,  closing  his  charge  at  the 
end  of  1851.  Rev.  J.  Salisbury  ministered  as  pastor  for  two  years 
into  1859.  On  November  20th,  1859,  Rev.  H.  H.  Rouse  began  his 
pastorate  continuing  till  January  1874,  fifteen  years.  Mr.  Rouse  had 
a  prosperous  service.  At  the  end  of  his  charge,  a  righteous  discipline 
developed  a  faction,  which,  when  excluded,  with  others,  constituted 
themselves  a  church  at  Washington.  Herbertsville,  with  other  churches 
nearby  being  a  unit  in  support  of  Brother  Rouse.     Mr.  Rouse  then 


Rev.  C.  P.  DeCamp  followed  in  October  1874  and  retired  in  1876. 
Certain  good  and  influential  members  of  the  Board  objecting  to  aid 
the  church.  It  would  have  peri-shed  but  for  the  missionary  Committee 
of  the  Association,  and  students  from  Peddie  Institute,  who  supplied 
the  pulpit  for  many  months.  The  positive  convictions  of  Baptists,  who 
had  learned  the  truth,  aided  them.     Rev.  M.  M.  Fogg  was  pastor  in  1886 


HERBERTSVILLE,  OR  OLD  BRIDGE  403 

and  resigned  in  1889.  Death  ended  objection  to  aiding  the  church 
and  an  appropriation  was  cheerfully  made.  Rev.  L.  O.  Grenelle  supplied 
the  church  in  1890  and  Rev.  M.  N.  Smith  followed,  staying  three  years. 
In  1895,  Rev.  L.  A.  Schering  settled  and  was  pastor  till  1899  The 
church  has  had  thirty-five  years  of  pastoral  care.  Of  that,  Mr.  Rouse 
had  more  than  one  third  of  that  period.  It  lives,  despite  the  plague 
of  antinomianism  and  a  faction  that  destroyed  its  peace  and  bad  preju- 
dices that  cut  it  off  from  needed  aid.  A  house  of  worship  was  built 
in  an  early  day.  A  condition  in  the  deed  that  it  shall  never  be  en- 
cumbered with  debt  has  hitherto  preserved  it  and  will  stiU.  While  Mr. 
Smith  Avas  pastor  the  building  was  much  improved.  A  lady,  whether 
a  member  of  the  church  or  not,  we  do  not  know,  gave  her  home  for 
parsonage  uses  and  thus  the  church  is  in  a  better  condition  than  hither- 
to. 


ma 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


SOMERVILLE,  MULLICA  HILL   AND  BERKLEY. 

Somerville  is  compassed  by  New  Brunswick,  Plainfield  and  Flem- 
ington,  each  a  center  of  Baptist  influence  and  strength.  There  was, 
however,  an  intermediate  community  of  Dutch  Reformed,  who  had 
settled  in  the  rural  sections,  strangely  ignorant  of  Baptist  ideas,  both 
of  church  order  and  of  the  Ordinances.  The  dense  mist  of  this  super- 
stition, wholly  absorbed  the  light  that  otherwise  might  have  reached 
the  town. 

Sometimes  such  communities  are  suddenly  awakened  by  a  baptism 
that  compels  them  to  think  of  John  the  Baptist  and  of  the  son  of  Man; 
of  Philip  and  the  Eunuch;  the  "going  down  into  the  water;"  of  the 
"burial  by  baptism  and  of  a  burial  in  baptism,"  a  baptism  which  it  is 
impossible  to  disassociate  with  a  New  Testament  baptism  and  as  im- 
possible to  associate  with  a  "sprinkling."  Thus  in  Somervdlle  in  Oct- 
ober, 1842.  Mr.  Samuel  B.  Tunison,  brought  up  in  the  faith  of  a  Dutch 
Reformed  church,  converted  in  a  Methodist  church,  decided  to  be  and 
to  do,  wliat  the  New  Testament  enjoined  and  with  the  universal  result 
of  honest  Bible  inquiry,  became  a  Baptist.  Conferring  with  Rev. 
Mr.  Barker,  pastor  of  the  Samptown  Baptist  church,  the  pastor  offered 
to  come  to  Somerville  and  to  baptize  Mr.  Tunison.  The  plan  was 
adopted  and  Somerville  people  saw  for  the  first  time  in  their  midst  a 
Gospel  baptism. 

Later,  Mr.  Barker  alternately  with  Rev.  S.  J.  Drake  of  Plainfield 
preached  regularly  on  Lord's  day  afternoon  at  Somerville. 
Baptist  residents  appeared.  Ere  long,  Rev.  B.  N.  Leach  baptized  a 
Mr.  Shattuck  in  Somer^ulle.  Mr.  Pethnel  Mason,  a  member  of  the 
Dutch  Reformed  church  in  Somerv-ille  united  with  the  First  Baptist 
church  of  New  York  City.  Mr.  Mason  and  Mr.  Tunison  were  in  con- 
cert for  the  constitution  of  a  Baptist  church  in  Somerville  and  effected 
their  aim  on  October  31st,  1843.  Eleven  members  constituting  the 
church,  one  of  them  was  Mr.  J.  B.  Saxton,  a  student,  who  had  occasion- 
ally preached  for  Baptist  churches.  The  first  to  be  baptized  into  the 
church  were  Mrs.  Mason  and  Mrs.  Shattuck.  On  January  30th,  1845, 
the  house  of  wonship  was  dedicated.  Mr.  Saxton  had  been  called  to  be 
pastor  in  1844,  but  chose  to  continue  his  student's  course. 

In  April  1845,  Mr.  H.  C.  Fish  was  called  to  the  pastorate  and  was 
ordained  the  next  June,  remaining  until  January  1st,  1851.     Mr.  G.  P. 


SOMERVILLE  AND  MULICA  HILL  405 

Nice  followed  and  was  ordained  in  May  1851.  He  was  pastor  seven 
years.  Rev.  J.  N.  Fol  well  succeeded  for  eighteen  months.  B.C.Morse 
settled,  remaining  till  January  1866.  In  the  spring  of  1867,  H.  D. 
Doolittle  became  pastor.  Soon  after  he  came,  a  parsonage  was  bought. 
Mr.  Doolittle  resigned  in  August  1872.  Necessity  compelled  the  erection 
of  a  new  church  edifice,  which  was  dedicated  December  4th,  1873.  Rev. 
G.  W.  Clark  entered  the  pastorate  in  September  1st,  1873.  In  the 
winter,  1873-4,  a  parsonage  was  built  on  the  lot  on  which  the  new  church 
edifice  stood.  Many  were  added  to  the  church.  Mr.  Clark  was  laid 
aside  by  illness  in  1875,  but  remained  as  pastor  until  May  1877.  Mr. 
Clark  while  here  issued  his  "Harmony  of  the  Four  Gospels  and  Commen- 
taries on  the  Gospels  of  Luke  and  John."  Previous  to  this,  while  pastor 
at  Ballston,  N.  Y.,  he  had  published  similar  works  on  the  Gospels  of 
Matthew  and  Mark.  Since  then  he  has  extended  the  work  to  the  end 
of  Philemon. 

On  January  1st,  1878,  Rev.  J.  B.  Mulford  became  pastor,  resigning 
in  June  1881.  Supplies  preached  till  October  1st,  1883,  when  Rev. 
G.  E.  Horr  settled  and  in  the  five  years  of  his  stay,  ejoyed  the  unabated 
love  of  the  people.  On  October  1st,  1889,  Rev.  A.  Parker  was  pastor, 
but  closed  his  pastoral  care  in  October,  1891.  Rev.  F.  A.  Smith  began 
his  pastorate  in  June  1892  and  was  pastor  in  1900.  Two  members  have 
been  licensed  to  preach  and  two  houses  of  worship  have  been  built, 
also  two  parsonages.  Special  mention  may  be  made  of  Mr.  P.  Mason. 
He  was  foremost  in  aU  denominational  work  at  home  and  abroad. 
The  church  has  attained  to  both  strength  and  influence. 

Prior  to  the  constitution  of  the  MuUica  Hill  Baptist  church,  there 
had  not  been  a  Baptist  church  within  the  present  boundaries  of  Glou- 
cester County.  On  the  direct  road  from  Salem  to  Camden,  passing 
through  Mannington  and  Woodbury,  a  distance  of  thirty-six  miles, 
there  was  not  a  Baptist  church.  Woodstown  in  Salem  County  was 
two  miles  off  the  direct  route  and  eight  miles  from  Mullica  Hill.  The 
road  from  Bridge  ton  to  Camden  was  also  without  a  Baptist  church, 
save  as  travellers  passed  through  Pittsgrove,  west  of  the  direct  route. 

In  fact,  east  of  Pittsgrove  and  Mullica  HiU,  the  population  was 
very  sparse,  the  country  desolate  and  lonely,  by  the  edge  of  the  "Pines." 
Between  Woodbury  and  Camden  up  to  about  1840,  as  the  writer  knows 
well,  it  was  a  "Pine"  Region.  Pastors  within  reach  of  scattered  hamlets 
in  the  "Pines"  and  missionaries  of  the  State  Convention  supplied  the 
people  with  the  means  of  grace.  It  is  a  great  mistake  that  as  in  1700, 
there  were  only  three  Baptist  churches  in  New  Jersey  there  must  have 
been  a  serious  destitution;  or  that  if  in  1800,  only  about  thirty  Baptist 
churches  were  in  the  state,  that  the  churches  had  made  small  progress 


406  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

In  fact,  in  1700,  there  were  at  least  thirteen  to  fifteen  houses  of  worship 
among  the  three  churclies  and  the  pastors  each  included  the  state  as 
their  field.  There  were  also  from  twenty  to  thirty  localities  where 
Baptist  preaching  was  regularly  maintained  in  which  strong  and  efficient 
Baptist  churches  were  subsequently  founded,  constituting  now  the 
strength  of  the  denomination. 

Hezekiah  Smith  acquired  ideas  of  mission  work  in  New  Jersey 
and  took  them  to  New  England.  Oliver  Hart  of  First  Hopewell  attested 
in  S.  C,  his  mission  training  in  the  Jerseys.  There  had  been  Baptist 
preaching  in  MuUica  Hill,  long  before  the  Baptist  church  was  formed  in 
1845.  Henry  Smalley.who  died  in  1839,  preached  there.  The  Board 
of  the  New  Jersey  State  Convention  sent  a  missionary  there.  Rev.  C. 
Kain  of  Pittsgrove  often  did  missionary  work  there,  when  suitable 
places  could  be  secured.  In  the  spring  of  1845,  Baptists  there  rented 
a  hall.  Congregations  grew.  In  due  time,  at  a  meeting  in  the  home 
of  Benjamin  Lloyd,  in  April  1845,  it  was  agreed  to  constitute  a  Baptist 
church,  in  which  eighteen  covenanted  with  each  other  in  mutual  behalf. 

The  Assembly  in  which  these  entered  was  held  later  in  a  grove 
near  the  town.  Naturally,  the  desire  of  the  people  was  that  Mr.  C. 
Kain  be  their  pastor.  Mr.  Kain  had  labored  most  efficiently  in  behalf  of 
a  Baptist  church.  For  seventeen  months  he  was  pastor  of  both  Pitts- 
grove  and  of  Mullica  Hill  churches.  Deacon  John  Mulford  and  Abigoil, 
his  wife,  gave  a  large  plot  of  ground  in  the  center  of  the  town  for  a  church 
edifice,  a  parsonage  and  sheds  for  the  beasts  bringing  rural  members  to 
the  house  of  God.  Deacon  Mulford  was  also  much  the  largest  contrib- 
utor of  the  funds  needed  for  the  church  buildings. 

Mr.  Kain  was  pastor  at  Mullica  Hill  for  twenty  years.  It  is  easily 
known  that  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Kain  was  a  great  shock  and  only 
persistence  made  it  final.  Rev.  W.  B.  Toland  was  pastor  for  the 
ensuing  six  years.  To  their  great  satisfaction,  Mr.  Kain  began  his 
second  charge,  lasting  seven  years  in  1872.  His  second  resignation 
was  in  despite  of  the  protest  of  church  and  congregation.  In  June 
1880,  Rev.  William  Warlow-  was  welcomed.  More  so,  since  Mr.  Kain 
indorsed  him.  Serious  trouble,  involving  the  place  and  existence  of 
the  church  arose  and  pastor  Warlow  resigned  in  1883.  Mr.  J.  H.  Hamil- 
ton was  ordained  in  June  1884.  Pastor  Hamilton  restored  the  former 
concord  and  cheer.  Converts  were  baptized.  The  Berkeley  Mission 
was  revived.  A  house  of  worship  built  there  through  Deacon  Mulford, 
became  a  birthplace  of  souls  and  fourteen  were  dismissed  to  constitute 
a  church  at  Berkeley.  The  place  of  worship  was  given  to  the  Berkeley 
church.  Pastor  Hamilton  resigned,  but  on  request  withdrew  it,  for 
a  while. 


MULLICA  HILL  AND  BERKELEY  407 

In  1888,  his  resignation  was  renewed  and  accepted  with  regret. 
On  September  1st,  1888,  Rev.  J.  L.  Watson  entered  the  pastoral  office. 
His  charge  was  too  short.  His  health  was  shattered  by  the  wounds 
he  had  received  and  hardships  suffered  in  the  Civil  War  and  the  only 
alternative  was  to  resign,  but  the  church  was  loath  to  part  with  him. 
Rev.  J.  J.  Davies  became  pastor  October  1891,  and  is  now  (1900)  pastor. 
Mr.  Davies  was  identified  with  the  mission  at  Swedesboro  and  has  the 
co-operation  of  the  church  at  MuUica  Hill.  The  meeting  house  is  kept 
in  good  repair,  another  at  Berkeley  is  also  well  kept.  Pastor  Kain  was 
a  noble  son  of  a  noble  father.  Deacon  C.  Kain  of  Marlton,  a  constituent 
of  Haddonfield  and  again  of  Marlton  church,  when  it  built  its  last 
church  edifice  in  the  village  of  Marlton.  To  him,  Haddonfield  owes 
a  vast  debt  of  gratitude  and  no  less,  does  Marlton  also. 

The  church  at  Berkley  was  constituted  April  14th,  1887,  with 
fourteen  members,  dismissed  from  MuUica  Hill,  of  which  it  was  a  mission 
About  a  year  after,  it  was  recognized  as  a  Baptist  church  and  had 
grown  to  thirty  members.  Rev.  T.  W.  Wilkinson  was  a  supply  till  1889. 
A  sister  in  the  church  was  missionary  in  Burma.  In  1890,  Rev.  J. 
Dussman  was  a  pastoral  supply  under  whom  they  enjoyed  prosperity. 
Deacon  J.  Mulford  of  Mullica  Hill,  had  previously  largely  provided  a 
place  of  worship  in  Berkley  mission.  Rev.  J.  C.  Madden  was  pastor 
in  about  1891-2,  retiring  in  the  latter  year.  A  fire  had  badly  marred 
the  interior  of  their  house  of  worship,  but  it  had  been  entirely  repaired 
in  1894.  Rev.  A.  H.  Whynkoop  was  pastor  in  1895  and  in  the  next 
year.  Rev.  W.  T.  Paulin  ministered,  whom  Rev.  J.  W.  Davis  followed 
in  June  1897,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Galliffe.  There  have 
been  six  supplies  and  pastors  ministering  at  Berkley  church.  This  may 
explain  its  slow  growth,  its  dependence  on  foreign  aid. 


CHAPTER   XLIIL 


HOBOKEN  AND  JERSEY  CITY. 

Hoboken  is  a  New  Jersey  suburb  of  New  York  City.  The  place 
was  a  large  town,  before  a  Baptist  church  was  in  it.  In  November 
1845,  a  Baptist  church  was  constituted  there  with  fourteen  members. 
Mr.  J.  Batey  is  reported  as  pastor  in  1846.  In  the  same  year  in  which 
the  church  was  formed,  a  house  of  worship  was  begun.  Rev.  J.  Hatt 
became  pastor  in  1847  and  in  the  eight  years  ensuing  held  the  pastoral 
charge.  The  old  house  of  worship  was  sold  about  1852  and  a  new  and 
larger  place  built  and  presumably  finished  in  1853. 

Pastor  Hatt  resigned  in  November  1854.  He  was  followed  in 
January  1855  by  Rev.  A.  S.  Patton,  who  closed  his  work  in  Hoboken 
in  1859.  A.  Harris  followed  in  1860,  remaining  twelve  years.  W.  R. 
Maul  held  the  pastorate  two  years.  In  the  next  six  years,  Rev.  W.  S. 
Goodno  was  pastor  to  1881.  Under  G.  L.  Hunt's  pastorate,  between 
1881  and  85,  the  house  of  worship  was  improved  in  1882  and  in  1884 
all  debts  were  paid.  While  Rev.  C.  Coleman  was  pastor  in  the  interim 
1885-89,  a  mission  chapel  which  had  been  previously  built  was  put  in 
good  order  at  considerable  cost.  Rev.  J.  Finch  ministered  to  the 
church  in  the  period  of  1889  to  1895.  A  new  meeting  house  was  built 
in  1890,  to  accommodate  the  increased  congregation.  Rev.  J.  P. 
Hunter  was  the  next  pastor  holding  the  office  for  three  years  from  1895 
to  98.  The  present  pastor  in  1900  is.  Rev.  W.  C.  Richmond,  having 
begun  his  charge  in  1898.  Three  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use 
by  the  church.  One  built  in  1846-7.  Another  erected  in  1852-3;  a 
third  in  1890.  Eleven  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  church.  Each 
of  them  has  had  a  successful  and  happy  charge. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Parmly  for  the  first  consecutive 
account  of  Jersey  City  Baptist  interests.  And  yet,  it  was  impossible 
for  him  to  get  hold  of  the  facts  which  long  preceded  his  personal  relation 
to  the  Baptist  cause  in  the  city  in  which  he  was  so  long  a  pastor  and 
under  whose  management,  Baptist  interests  took  shape  and  order.  The 
site  of  Jersey  City  was  first  known  by  its  Indian  name,  Areseheckhouck. 

When  the  Director-General  of  the  West  India  Company  came 
to  America,  in  1638,  the  tract  was  named,  Paulus  Hook,  Numerous 
settlements  were  made  by  the  Dutch  in  New  Jersey,  on  the  North, 
west  and  south  of  the  site  of  Jersey  City.  Settlers  preferred  the  high 
lands  which  compassed  the  low,  marshy  ground  on  which  Jersey  City 


JERSEY  CITY  409 

was  located.  Hollanders  knew  the  cost  of  reclaiming  such  land.  More 
than  two  hundred  years  after  Manhattan  Island  had  oeen  colonized. 
When  in  1820,  Jerse}'  City  was  incorporated,  it  had  only  three  hundred 
residents  and  in  1840,  the  terminus  of  railroad  and  of  canals  and  New 
York  was  feeling  the  constriction  of  its  limits,  Jersey  City  had  only  a 
population  of  4,000.  From  then,  the  population  increased  rapidly. 
Land  and  lots  were  cheap  and  there  was  plenty  of  it.  Convenience  and 
economy  disposed  the  down  town  people  of  New  York  to  make  their 
home  across  the  river. 

Of  these  mongrel  peoples,  some  were  the  best,  pious  and  enter- 
prising and  some  were  the  worse;  Jersey  City  was  a  refuge  for  evil  doers. 
Of  Baptists,a  large  foreign  element  were  English,  uncongenial  with 
each  other  and  as  much  so  with  American  Baptists.  Tliis  condition 
prevented  the  co-operation  essential  to  our  denominational  interests. 
Church  organizations,  maintained  a  nominal  existence  and  disappeared 
in  the  dust  of  contention.  Thus  Jersej'  City  lay  open,  the  Baptist  forces 
unassociate  tiU  Wheelock  Parmly  went  there.  A  most  amiaole  man 
and  needing  all  his  endowment  of  that  quality,  he  began  his  work. 
In  1828,  James  Howe,  a  member  of  Oliver  street  Baptist  church  moved 
to  Jersey  City  and  began  a  prayer  meeting  in  his  home.  His  effort 
did  not  result  in  the  constitution  of  a  Baptist  church.  Seven  years 
after,  a  man  who  had  been  a  Methodist  and  was  now  a  Baptist  minister, 
undertook  to  form  a  Baptist  church,  but  the  old  disagreement  broke 
it  up  and  Mr.  Provost's  effort  was  a  failure. 

Rev.  Jonathan  Going  and  Rev.  William  Moore  preached  at  times 
in  Jersey  City.  A  building  of  J.  P.  Hill  and  the  home  of  William  Bum- 
stead  were  places  of  meeting.  Rev.  Vv'illiam  Moore  and  Mr.  Howe  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with  Baptists  about  an  organization 
and  on  November,  27th,  1838,  it  was  resolved:  "That  we  engage  the 
services  of  Rev.  J.  Houghnout  as  pastor  for  six  months  and  that  we  give 
him  four  dollars  per  week."  This  arrangement  lasted  till  March,  1839, 
when  a  council  advised  the  organization  of  a  Baptist  church  of  Jersey 
City  and  of  Harsimous  with  a  membership  of  thirteen.  Among  them 
were  John  P.  Hill  and  James  Howe.  Eligible  lots  for  a  meeting  house 
were  given,  but  v/ere  conditioned  upon  holding  "no  abolition  meetings 
in  their  house  of  worship.  The  condition  in  the  gift  made  the  people 
reject  the  gift.  An  abolition  or  anti-slavery  movement  w^hich  brought 
on  the  war  of  1861-65,  had  advanced  to  a  positive  tone  in  the  northern 
states.     A  small  house  of  worship  was  built  on  Barrow  street. 

The  Baptist  family  in  Jersey  City  was  made  up  of  various  nationali- 
ties, of  divers  ideas,  due  to  the  prejudices  of  education.  Pro  and  anti- 
slavery  discussions  and  the  positiveness  developed  by  the  independency 


410  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  our  church  government  bore  fruit  in  bitterness.  In  September 
1840,  a  resohition  forbade  the  use  of  the  meeting  house  to  the  anti- 
slavery  society,  unless  three-fourths  of  the  members  present  at  a  church 
meeting  agreed  to  it,  so  that  each  party  was  careful  to  see  that  the 
other  side  liad  no  such  majority.  This  meant  contention.  This  order 
continued  two  years,  when  forty-six  members  withdrew  and  united 
with  the  McDougal  street  Baptist  church,  New  York  City  and  were 
known  as  the  eiglith  district  of  the  McDougal  Street  Baptist  church. 
Pastor  Duncan  Dunbar  ministered  at  set  times  to  these  disciples.  On 
March  11th,  1844,  the.se  were  recognized  as  a  Baptist  church. 

These  conditions  of  membersliip  indicate  the  ideas  of  the  members 
of  this  second  Baptist  church.  Article  7  and  8  forbade  membership  to 
a  slaveholder  and  to  a  member  of  a  secret  society.  This  church  lived 
to  November  1847.  Its  pastors  were:  William  RoUinson,  S.  C.  James, 
J.  M.  Morris,  William  Gooding  to  February  1847,  when  it  died.  A 
third  Baptist  church  worshipped  in  the  Lyceum.  How  it  came  to  be, 
is  not  known.  It  had  one  pastor,  Arus  Haynes,  a  "devoted  and  conse- 
crated Christian  gentleman."  His  health  was  impaired  by  his  labors 
to  do  good  and  he  was  compelled  to  resign  in  1847.  In  a  few  years 
after  he  died.  The  church  disheartened  by  his  removal,  was  merged 
into  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Jersey  City.  Before  1847,  the  meeting 
house  on  Barrow  street  was  sold  for  debt.  These  experiences  showed 
the  folly  of  discord  and  led  to  the  adoption  of  a  resolution  of  sympathy 
in  August  1847,  by  the  second  church  for  the  first  church  and  it  resolved : 
"We  have  heard  with  deep  regret  of  the  step  taken  by  our  brethren  in 
Harsimous  and  that  we  advise  them  to  come  together  once  more  to 
meet  with  us  and  to  consult  together,  respecting  the  best  means  to 
adopt." 

This  action  was  followed  by  another  in  the  next  month: 

"Resolved,  That  Jersey  City  is  ready  to  form  a  union  of  the  Baptist 
churches  of  this  place,  when  the  Grand  street  church  is  ready." 
This  action  of  the  second  church  was  as  the  breath  on  the  bones  in  the 
valley  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  life  and  unity  to  the  perishing  Baptist  interests 
in  Jersey  City.  On  March  1st,  1848,  at  a  meeting  in  which  the  three 
Baptist  churches  of  the  city  were  represented,  the  following  was  adopted: 

"WuEREAs,  The  Baptists  of  Jersey  City  and  Harsimous,  heretofore 
divided  by  differences  of  opinion. 

Resolved,  That  we  proceed  to  organize  a  Baptist  church  to  be  called  by 
a  name  not  yet  resolved  on." 

The  results  of  this  action,  verified  the  133d  Psalm:  "Behold,  how 
good  and  how  pleasant  it  is,  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity." 
At  this  date  and  in  this  meeting,  March  1st,  1848,  the  Union  Baptist 


JERSEY  CITY,  FIRST  411 

church  was  organized  with  a  constituency  of  sixty-eight  members. 
Twenty  years  after,  on  March  1st,  1868,  the  name  was  changed  to  "First 
Baptist  church  of  Jersey  City." 

Really,  if  not  the  fourth,  some  other.  Still  it  is  the  first,  because 
a  union  of  all  others  and  the  survivor  of  all  that  preceded  it.  The  "Union 
Baptist  church"  eventually  absorbed  all  Baptists  in  Jersey  City.  These 
steps,  which  inaugurated  the  unity  of  Jersey  City  Baptists  were  taken 
by  the  forty-six  Baptists  who  had  withdrawn  and  had  joined  the  Mc- 
Dougal  street  Baptist  church  in  New  York  City.  The  Union  Baptist 
church  rented  a  hall  and  the  supplies  maintained  devotional  meetings 
on  the  evenings  of  week  days.  In  December  1849,  Rev.  W.  Verrinder 
settled  as  pastor.  Mr.  Verrinder  was  a  special  pro\adential  gift  to  the 
young  church.  On  account  of  the  former  divisions  and  of  the  diversity 
of  opinions  united  in  the  one  church;  tact,  intelligence  and  piety  were 
requisites  in  its  pastor  and  having  the  gift  of  "good  common  sense" 
and  combining  the  gold  of  silence  and  the  silver  of  speech,  he  was 
happily  adapted  to  his  charge.  His  ministry  was  fruitful  and  while 
pastor,  the  peace  of  the  church  was  assured  and  relationship  to  all  lines 
of  Christian  and  mission  work  at  home  and  abroad  was  maintained. 
A  house  of  worship  was  also  built  and  occupied.  In  1853,  Pastor 
Verrinder  was  called  by  the  Jersey  Cit}'  Missionary  Society  to  serve  it 
in  the  city.  This  was  an  expression  of  the  public  estimate  of  the  man 
and  of  his  work.  He  became  city  missionary,  holding  the  post  for 
thirty-eight  years,  till  his  death  in  October  1891.  His  name  is  revered 
in  thoasands  of  homes.  Mr.  Verrinder's  life  was  filled  up  with  the  spirit 
of  him  who  "went  about  doing  good." 

Again,  "the  right  man  in  the  right  place"  appeared  in  Jersey  City  as 
pastor,  Rev.  Wheelock  H.  Parmly.  He  became  pastor  in  September 
1854  and  held  the  trust  for  thirty-five  years  and  then  pastor  emeritus 
till  his  death  in  August  1894.  Mr.  Parmly  was  rarely  equalled  in 
his  genial  temper  and  kindly  disposition.  He  could  be  scarcely  angered 
and  only  by  an  attempt  to  demean  his  Lord  and  Christ.  He  had  en- 
joyed the  advantages  of  the  schools  and  was  fairly  a  master  of  infor- 
mation and  a  good  preacher.  An  active  member  of  various  Boards 
of  missions  and  of  education.  It  is  not  known,  however,  that  he  origi- 
nated plans  and  policies  that  brought  relief  in  straits  and  were  proved 
the  better  way.  Seemingly,  there  could  have  been  no  better  choice 
of  a  pastor  to  unify  and  mould  the  elements  under  his  leadership.  His 
kind  speech  won  objectors,  soothed  opposition  and  won  a  place  for  his 
views.  The  more  so,  that  he  was  never  an  extremist  and  quite  ready 
to  yield  things  indifferent  to  win  things  important.  Mr.  Parmly's 
like  among  men  would  be  a  great  rarity.     His  work  in  Jersey  City  is 


412  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

an  abiding  mon\iment  of  his  worth.  At  his  resignation,  the  church  had 
grown  to  nearly  threefold  of  its  membership,  when  he  became  pas- 
tor. 

Six  colonies  wholly  or  in  part,  had  constituted  other  churches. 
An  increase  of  congregations  involved  the  enlargement  of  the  house 
of  worship.  Pastor  Parmly  closed  his  pastorate  in  1889,  when  Rev. 
H.  B.  Steelman  followed.  Ill  health  and  a  summons  to  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah,  induced  Pastor  Steelman's  resignation  in  1891.  In  May 
of  that  year.  Rev.  T.  Heisig  was  called  and  settled  as  pastor.  Mr. 
Heising  resigned  in  January  1895.  In  September  1895,  Mr.  Ratobeau, 
entered  the  pastorate  for  one  year.  Rev.  William  E.  Chalmers  became 
pastor  in  the  spring  of  1897,  closing  his  work  in  1899  and  on  the  next 
September,  J.  M.  Hare  followed  and  was  pastor  in  1900.  In  all,  seven 
pastors  have  served  the  church  Up  to  the  end  of  their  ministry  the 
pastors  have  been  spoken  of  tenderly.  Other  Baptist  churches  in 
Jersey  City  have  grown  up  about  the  First  church.  Nine  or  ten  have 
been  licensed  to  preach.  The  disagreements  of  former  years  ai'e  gone. 
Churches  stronger  than  the  First  church  are  in  the  city,  but  unity  is 
characteristic  of  all  of  them.  AU  of  this  would  be  anticipated  from  the 
type  of  man  which  Mr.  Parmly  was. 

Women  were  the  first  to  move  in  the  origin  of  the  Summit  Avenue 
Baptist  church.  Two  of  them  in  1856,  Mary  Glass  and  Relief  G.  Tripp, 
residents  of  Hudson  City,  gave  themselves  first  to  prayer  and  then 
conferred  with  Mr.  Verrinder,  the  first  pastor  of  Union  Baptist  church 
of  Jersey  City,  but  was,  now,  city  missionary.  Having  his  assurance 
of  help  and  an  offer  to  preach  occasionally.  Several  members  of  Union 
Baptist  church  were  invited  to  worship  with  them  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
James  Glass.  No  other  convenient  place  for  worship  being  known, 
a  school  house  in  South  Bergen  was  rented,  worshipping  there  for  a  few 
months,  the  Baptists  decided  to  form  themselves  into  a  Baptist  church 
of  Hudson  City  and  did  this  on  June  22,  1857,  numbering  in  all,  sixteen 
members. 

Lots  for  a  house  of  worship  were  bought  on  the  Bergen  Road. 
Supplies  were  engaged  of  whom  the  chief  was  Mr.  Verrinder,  who 
gave  any  remuneration  to  which  he  was  entitled  to  the  church.  Con- 
verts were  added  to  the  church  and  other  Baptists  interested.  Thus 
the  meetings  of  the  church  were  advertised  and  the  church  itself.  There 
was  a  likeness  to  the  early  churches.  Rev.  Messrs.  Halsey,  W.  and  S.  J. 
Knapp  afforded  great  help  to  the  church.  The  first  year  was  a  time  of 
growth  and  of  dependence  on  the  generous  aid  of  men  who  loved  to 
preach.  In  June  1858,  Rev.  Mr.  Eastwood  settled  as  pastor.  The 
place  of  worship  was  a  long  distance  away  and  morning  service  was 


SUMMIT  AVENUE  413 

transferred  to  a  nearer  hall.  Plans,  in  the  meant'me,  matured  to  build 
a  church  edifice  on  the  lots  on  the  Bergen  Road.  Finally,  however, 
the  matter  was  settled  in  February,  1859,  when  thirty-six  members 
were  dismissed,  who  formed  the  Bergen  Baptist  church.  Pastor 
Eastwood  went  with  tha  colony.  Only  twenty-four  members  were 
left  of  the  church  and  it  was  brought  to  a  low  condition.  Instead  of 
being  discouraged,  the  twenty-four  devoted  themselves  more  earnestly 
to  their  mission.  Ere  long,  they  exchanged  the  lots  on  the  Bergen 
Road  for  those  on  which  the  meeting  house  stands. 

A  large  frame  building  stood  on  the  new  lots,  which  was  remodelled 
into  a  place  of  worship.  While  these  changes  were  in  progress  a  work 
of  grace  broke  out.  Mr.  S.  J.  Knapp  acted  as  pastor  but  declined  an}' 
salary,  making  more  possible  the  completion  of  their  place  of  worship. 
In  June  1859,  Mr.  Knapp  was  ordained.  The  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  increased  during  the  few  months  of  his  charge.  Despite  the 
protests  of  the  people,  Pastor  Knapp  insisted  on  his  resignation  in 
October  1859.  On  the  day  of  his  resignation,  a  call  was  made  to  H.  W. 
Knapp,  his  brother,  and  he  began  his  pastoral  work  in  January  1860. 
Owing  to  illness  he  was  compelled  to  resign,  but  a  sea  voyage  restored 
his  health  and  he  began  again  his  pastoral  duties.  In  June  1862,  steps 
were  taken  to  build  a  new  house  of  worship.  At  the  end  of  that  year, 
Pastor  Knapp  resigned.  Mr.  Knapp  was  an  active  business  man  of 
New  York  City.  A  pastorate  and  a  driving  business  were  not  most 
congenial.  The  church  utterly  refused  to  accept  his  resignation  and 
the  pressure  of  a  new  and  needy  field  and  the  building  of  a  house  of 
worship  finally  prevailed  with  him  to  continue  his  benevolent  labors. 

In  March  1864,  the  basement  of  the  new  church  edifice  was  occupied 
and  on  the  12th  of  the  next  June  the  house  was  set  apart  for  Divine 
worship.  At  the  end  of  six  years,  Mr.  Knapp,  who  lived  in  New  York 
City  believing  that  the  church  should  have  a  resident  pastor,  resigned. 
Despite  the  wish  of  the  church  for  him  to  remain,  the  resignation  was 
accepted.  The  church  edifice  had  been  built  by  his  persistent  efforts 
and  the  small  salary  he  had  consented  to  receive,  was  turned  into  the 
sinking  fund  to  pay  for  the  building.  Whatever  is  said  of  pastors 
serving  without  cost  and  of  the  probability  of  raising  up  narrow  minded 
and  covetous  congregations  willing  to  receive  and  as  willing  to  "pass  by 
on  the  other  side,"  it  is  certain  that  these  brothers  Knapp  were  not 
that  class.  It  is  also  sure,  that  the  wealth  of  these  good  men  was  not 
hoarded  and  that  the  churches  which  they  served,  at  times  when  they 
were  unable  to  support  a  pastor  were  not  peoples  who  grew  into  little- 
ness and  denied  the  keeping  of  the  commission  to  preach  to  every 
creature   the  great  redemption,   when  the  Brothers   Knapp  retired. 


414  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

The  succession  of  pastors  was:  J.  W.  Custis,  1865-67;  C.  E.  Cordo,  1867- 
69;  T.  R.  Howlett,  1869-71;  W.  H.  Harris,  1871-74;  J  L.  Lodge,  1874-79; 
A.  S.  Gumbart,  1880-84;  D.  C.  Hughes,  1884-86;  J.  F.  Davis,  1887, 
died  in  December  1889;  E.  McMinn,  1890-95;  W.  J.  Swaffield,  1896- 
1900. 

In  1878,  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  Summit  Avenue 
church  from  Hudson  City.  An  increase  of  the  congregation  made 
necessary  the  enlargement  of  the  house  of  worsliip  in  1880.  Since  the 
organization  of  the  church,  including  the  labors  of  Mr.  Verrinder,  four- 
teen pastors  have  ministered  to  the  church.  Bergen  church  colonized 
from  Hudson  City,  including  a  majority  of  the  members  and  the  pastor. 
There  have  been  two  church  edifices.  Their  first  being  an  old  building 
and  remodelled  for  their  use.  The  present  structure  has  been  enlarged 
and  improved.  Several  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  Sum- 
mit Avenue  is  the  child  of  Union  Baptist  church.  Two  churches  have 
been  colonized  from  Summit  Avenue,  Bergen,  in  1859;  Trinity  in  1888. 
Both  of  them  have  been  useful  bodies. 

Trinity  Baptist  church  occupies  a  mission  field  of  the  Jersey  City 
Heights  church.  Mr.  R.  H.  Johnson  was  a  member  of  Jersey  City 
Heights  church  and  his  appointment  to  give  "talks"  and  the  frequency 
of  such  meetings  developed  concert  and  action  tiU,  thirty-seven  Baptists 
members  of  Jersey  City  Heights  church,  decided  upon  their  plans  and 
having  the  approval  of  the  pastor  and  of  the  church,  called  a  council 
to  recognize  the  church  and  to  ordain  Mr.  Johnson  as  pastor.  The 
council  met,  conceded  the  right  of  the  church  to  call  for  pastor,  whom 
they  would  and  ordained  Mr.  Johnson  on  September  27th,  1888.  Twelve 
years  have  gone  and  Mr.  Johnson  is  still  pastor,  occupying  his  only 
charge  and  probably  staying  as  long  as  he  may  choose.  A  site  for  a 
meeting  house  was  bought  in  1890.  Two  years  after  a  suitable  house 
was  built,  which  since,  has  been  the  place  of  assembly  and  in  1900, 
state  that  all  claims  against  the  church  have  been  paid.  Mr.  Johnson 
is  in  business  and  continues  to  be  while  pastor.  Pastor  and  people 
indulge  bright  hopes.  The  mission  was  originally  named  the  Summit 
Avenue  Baptist  church  begun  in  April  1885  with  a  Sunday  school  of 
six  officers  and  teachers  and  eighteen  scholars  and  is  now  a  large 
school. 

Jersey  City  by  its  nearness  to  Xew  York  City  and  terminus  of  many 
railroads,  has  gro-wTi  fast  and  is  a  large  city.  The  Union  Baptist  church 
(now  First  Baptist)  was  located  in  the  central  part  of  the  to-wn.  Others 
were  located  in  the  then  suburbs  of  the  city.  Three  members  of  the 
First  Baptist  church  were  appointed  a  committee  in  February  1865  to 
find  a  place  for  a  mission  Sunday  school  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city. 


NORTH  JERSEY  CITY  415 

A  hall  was  rented  and  a  Sunday  school  begun  in  May  1805.  Pastor 
Family  preached  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  the  organization  of  the 
school.  At  a  meeting  in  the  hall  on  September  1865,  the  Baptists  met 
and  decided  to  found  a  church.  But,  first  to  lay  the  matter  before  the 
First  Baptist  church.  As  a  result,  on  September  28th,  1865,  forty-two 
Baptists  constituted  the  North  Baptist  church  of  Jersey  City.  Supplies 
ministered  to  the  church  until  October  1st,  1866. 

When  Rev.  H.  A.  Cordo  became  pastor,  worship  was  continued 
in  the  hall  until  April  1867,  when  having  built  a  chapel,  the  church 
removed  to  its  own  place  of  worship.  Mr.  Cordo  resigned  in  November 
1872.  His  labors  had  reward,  the  membership  increasing  from  eighty 
to  more  than  two  hundred.  A  year  later,  Mr.  Cordo  was  called  back  and 
began  his  second  charge  on  January  1st,  1873,  remaining  till  September 
1875,  in  all,  about  eight  years.  In  the  next  December,  1875,  Rev.  G. 
K.  Allen  entered  as  pastor  closing  his  work  in  Jersey  City  in  July  1880. 
Six  months  later.  Rev.  G.  W.  Nicholson  entered  on  the  pastorate,  Jan- 
uary 1st,  1881.  A  large  and  more  becoming  house  of  worship  had 
become  essential  and  in  July  1883,  measures  were  taken  to  assure  this 
object  and  on  November  14th,  1886,  the  new  house  was  dedicated.  In 
the  winter  of  1889-90,  one  hundred  and  ten  were  baptized.  Soon  after, 
the  cost  of  the  new  sanctuary  was  paid  and  an  addition  made,  for  social 
and  Sunday  school  uses.  Mr.  Nicholson  was  pastor  nearly  twelve  years, 
closing  his  labors  in  1892.  Rev.  C.  Woelfkin  became  pastor  in  the  same 
year,  resigning  in  1893.  The  change  was  a  mysterious  Frovidence, 
if  indeed  Providence  had  aught  to  do  with  it.  In  November  1894, 
Rev.  A.  R.  Moore  settled  as  pastor;  in  something  more  than  a  year  Mr. 
Moore  died.  Mr.  Moore  enjoyed  the  love  of  his  people  and  of  the  com- 
munity. In  March  1897,  Rev.  Benjamin  Otto  accepted  a  call  and  in 
1900,  is  pastor.  There  have  been  seven  pastors,  one  of  whom 
has  held  the  office  twice.  Another  died  while  pastor.  Unanimity  has 
characterized  the  church.  The  pastors  have  been  useful  men.  They 
and  the  church  have  been  in  accord.  Two  church  edifices  have  been 
in  use.  The  last  was  in  accord  with  the  conveniences  and  lines  of 
work  in  later  years  and  bids  fair  to  be  for  many  years  to  come. 


CHAPT  R  XLIV. 


BLACKWOOD  AND  WOODBURY. 


In  the  fall  of  1847,  Rev.  Henry  Wescott  visited  Blackwood  town 
and  preached  in  the  Methodist  church  of  worship.  A  desire  was  then 
excited  to  organize  a  Baptist  church.  Invited  to  return  to  Blackwood, 
he  did  so,  on  several  occasions.  Four  gentlemen,  John  L.  Cooper, 
Jonas  and  Lewis  Livermore  and  I.  H.  Stokes,  M.  D.,  had  been  in  a 
company,  on  whose  ground  stood  an  unfinished  meeting  house.  An 
oflfer  to  give  this  building  and  a  more  central  lot  than  that  on  which  it 
stood,  on  the  condition  of  removing  the  building  and  completing  it  for 
use  and  the  organization  of  a  Baptist  church  to  occupy  it,  was  made  to 
resident  Baptists. 

The  oflfer  was  accepted  and  the  conditions  met.  The  Baptist 
church  began  with  twenty-eight  constituents  in  1848.  At  the  first 
church  meeting,  Rev.  H.  Wescott  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  having 
private  means  was  not  dependent  on  a  salary  offered  to  him.  While 
pastor,  the  church  had  both  spiritual  and  material  prosperity.  After 
a  charge  of  nearly  ten  years,  Mr.  Wescott  went  West.  Rev.  H.  Sears 
followed  in  December  1857.  Taken  ill,  he  resigned  in  1859  and  died 
in  a  few  months.  The  pastors  following  were :  C.  J.  Thompson,  1861-62; 
A.  Cook,  Jr.,  1864-66;  S.  Goodshall,  1868;  E.  M.  Barker,  1871;  J.  D. 
Flansburg,  1873-79;  James  Fielding,  1880-85;  a  licentiate,  J.  E.  Wilson, 
supply,  1887-90;  G.  B.  Morse,  1891-93;  H.  W.  Smith,  1893-95;  R.  P. 
Preston,  1895-96;  C.  S.  Powelson,  1896-98.  Since  1898  there  has  been 
a  suspension  of  church  acti\dties.  Blackwood  is  off  the  lines  of  travel 
and  must  be  more  a  feeder  church  than  otherwise.  The  name  of  the 
church  and  town  is  now  Blackwood.  Thirteen  pastors,  including  Mr. 
Wilson  have  ministered  to  the  church.  Mr.  Wescott  was  pastor  nearly 
ten  years.  Pastor  Sears  virtually  died  while  pastor.  Five  pastors 
served  but  one  year  on  account  of  financial  conditions.  Only  experi- 
ence can  reveal  the  straits  of  a  rural  pastor. 

Woodbury  derives  its  name  from  Richard  Wood,  who  settled 
there  in  1684.  He  came  to  Philadelphia  with  the  first  settlers  and 
lea\'ing  his  family  there  and  taking  a  canoe  found  his  way  up  the  creek 
from  the  Delaware  river.  Mr.  Wood  was  a  Quaker.  With  the  help 
of  the  Indians,  he  built  a  rude  hut,  making  a  home  for  himself  and 
family.     The  building  and  the  removal  of  his  family  required  only  a 


WOODBURY  417 

week.     Thus  Mr.  Wood  lives  to  the  latest  posterity  by  the  name  he 
gave  to  the  town. 

The  town  grew  and  was  a  resort  from  abroad.  Captain  James 
Lawrence  of  the  U.  S.  Navy  by  his  utterance  in  the  conflict  between 
the  Shannon  and  the  Chesapeake  in  the  War  of  1812,  "Don't  give  up 
the  ship,"  was  a  student  in  the  village  Academy  residing  there  with 
his  brother,  John  LawTence.  It  is  a  surprise  that  a  county  seat  only 
seven  miles  from  Camden  should  not  have  had  a  Baptist  church  before 
1857.  Being  a  Quaker  to-wTi,  it  is  more  strange,  since  Quakers  and 
Baptists  have  always  been  in  accord  on  social  and  political  questions 
and  endured  in  common  for  the  right  of  free  speech  and  of  equality 
before  the  law.  In  January  1856,  Rev.  H.  Wescott,  pastor  at  Black 
wood  was  the  first  Baptist  minister,  kno-wTi  to  have  preached  at  Wood- 
bury. His  meeting  was  at  the  Court  House,  on  Saturday  afternoon. 
The  unsuitableness  of  the  place,  after  other  appointments,  Mr.  Wescott 
gave  up  the  service.  Only  two  Baptist  families  were  then  known  to 
be  residents  of  the  place.  Waif  or  W^ayman  and  Ellis  B.  Hall.  M.  D., 
in  vvhose  homes  occasional  social  meetings  were  held.  In  the  spring 
of  1857,  Rev.  D.  J.  Freas  of  Salem,  N.  J.,  moved  to  Woodbury  and 
began  meetings  in  a  school  house  on  April  12th,  near  Woodbury  on 
the  Lord's  day  afternoon.  Good  congregations  attended.  Two  weeks 
later  on  April  26th,  a  Sunday  school  was  begun  with  Mr.  Freas  as 
superintendent.  On  the  7th  of  May  1857,  E.  J.  Records,  M.  D.,  Ellis 
B.  Hall,  M.  D.,  Samuel  Tatum  and  Rev.  D.  J.  Freas  met  at  the  house 
of  Dr.  Records,  to  talk  on  the  organization  of  a  Baptist  church  and 
decided  to  form  a  church. 

An  advisory  council  was  called  to  meet  at  the  home  of  Dr.  E.  B. 
Hall,  in  August,  1857.  They  advised  the  constitution  of  a  church. 
The  organization  was  completed  in  the  Court  House  August  6th,  1857, 
with  ten  members.  At  the  first  business  meeting,  Rev.  D.  J.  Freas 
was  called  to  be  pastor.  The  school  house  was  as  yet  the  place  of 
worship.  Mr.  Freas  continued  pastor  till  February  1865.  seven  years 
and  more.  The  work  of  Mr.  Freas  cannot  be  too  highly  commended. 
Having  private  means,  his  support  did  not  depend  on  the  church.  A 
house  of  worship  was  built  and  sheds  for  the  horses  from  the  country. 
Mr.  Freas  freely  expending  his  own  resources  to  obtain  these  conditions 
for  the  welfare  of  the  church.  Whether  Mr.  Freas  has  been  paid  for 
his  advance  of  funds,  the  writer  is  ignorant.  But  he  recalls  that  years 
after  the  Board  of  the  State  Convention  was  asked  by  him  to  indorse 
his  claim  for  remuneration  from  the  churches.  The  Board  did  so,  gladly- 
An  impression  at  that  time,  was  Mr.  Freas'  impoverishment  did  not 


418  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

have  the  responses  he  expected.  This  man  was  eminent  for  humiHty 
and  for  consecration. 

Later  he  removed  to  Trenton  and  was  city  missionary.  Large 
sums  were  intrusted  to  him  by  wealthy  and  by  business  men  for  the 
poor.  An  accounting  was  never  asked  of  him.  His  funeral  in  Trenton, 
was  said  to  have  been  a  wonder  and  a  glory.  The  slums  brought  their 
tribute;  the  poor  and  lowly  shed  tears  and  the  millionaire  sorrowed  for 
the  loss  of  a  brother  and  friend,  whom  they  knew  to  be  true  and  whose 
place  for  God  and  humanity  was  not  likely  to  be  filled  on  earth.  Ten 
pastors  have  served  the  church.  Mr.  Freas,  eight  years,  H.  Bray, 
William  Maul,  C.  Kain,  who  resigned  to  resume  the  pastorate  of  twenty 
years  at  MuUica  Hill  and  which  recalled  him.  William  Whitehead, 
M.D.,  whose  charge  was  terminated  by  a  fatal  accident;  C.Harris,  seven 
months.  In  the  interim  of  this  and  of  the  next  pastor,  a  work  of  grace 
was  enjoyed.  Mr.  Kirtley  supplied  till  he  graduated  and  in  May  1875, 
was  ordained  for  the  pastoral  office.  In  his  charge  a  parsonage  was 
built  the  meeting  house  was  improved,  a  mortgage  debt  paid. 

Rev.  J.  J.  Pierson  settled  in  1881,  continuing  till  1893,  more  than 
twelve  years,  years  of  blessing  and  of  harvest.  The  community  recog- 
nized him  as  concerned  for  its  welfare.  The  church  edifice  was  re- 
modelled, the  parsonage  enlarged,  a  chapel  at  Sewell  assured  and  the 
Berkley  Mission  revived;  also  a  mission  begun  in  the  distant  part  of 
the  town.  March  1st,  1894,  Rev.  L.  Moss  settled  and  remained  about 
two  years.  The  momentum  of  the  former  charge  kept  the  church  from 
a  serious  decline.  In  1896,  Rev.  J.  M.  T.  Childrey  settled  as  pastor.  A 
colony  went  out  in  that  year  and  became  the  central  Woodbury  Baptist 
church.  Under  Mr.  Childrey,  the  church  was  much  revived  and  he  is 
now  (1900)  ministering  in  the  church. 

One  of  its  members  has  been  licensed  to  preach.  The  old  church 
edifice  has  been  remodelled  and  enlarged  and  improved  and  is  not  to  be 
recognized.  Of  pastors,  one  died  in  about  a  year.  Another  was  fatally 
hurt  and  resigned.  Three  pastors,  Messrs.  Freas,  Pierson,  and  Kirtley 
covered  more  than  half  the  church  life,  each  accomplishing  large 
results  for  the  welfare  of  the  church.  In  1892,  and  in  1896,  colonies 
went  from  Woodbury,  constituting  the  Xewbold  and  Westville  church, 
and  the  Central  Woodbury  church. 

A  few  Baptists  moved  with  desire  "to  do  what  they  could,"  in  a 
vicinity  destitute  of  the  means  of  grace,  established  a  Sunday  school 
in  an  upper  room  of  a  hall  in  Westville.  Mr.  S.  K.  Braun  began  his 
ministry  preaching  at  the  mission.  Pastor  Pierson,  of  Woodbury 
and  Rev.  J.  Wilson  of  that  place,  each  as  they  were  able  ministered 
there.     Preaching  the  Gospel  is  the  primary  agency  of  the  increase  of 


NEWBOLD  AND  SEWELL  419 

Chri«tianity,  Sunday  schools  are  secondary.  In  Sept-ember  1892,  a 
church  with  ten  memliers  was  constituted.  Three  were  from  First 
Camden  and  seven  were  from  First  Woodbury. 

A  new  and  beautiful  house  of  worship  was  begun  and  was  dedicated 
in  October  1893.  The  house  was  located  in  Newbold,  which  explains 
the  joint  names  of  the  church.  Deacon  Coxey  of  First  Camden  from 
the  first,  used  his  means  and  his  influence  and  his  presence  as  in  other 
like  cases  and  thus  assured,  permanence  and  efficiency  to  the  enterprise 
He  gave  more  than  five  hundred  dollars  for  the  church  edifice  and  paid 
for  its  furniture,  also  for  a  long  time  gave  one  hundred  dollars  per 
annum  for  current  expenses,  additional  to  many  presents  and  is  now 
the  largest  annual  donor  to  maintain  the  church.  Rev.  J.  Wilson  was 
the  first  pastoral  supply,  and  continued  to  preach  until  failing  health 
required  him  to  surrender  his  ministry,  when  the  house  of  worship  was 
dedicated  in  1893.  During  the  next  six  years,  students  from  Crozer 
Seminary  supplied  the  church,  Messrs.  W.  E.  Stevens,  A.  H.  Wyncoop, 
W.  T.  Pauling,  Jr.,  and  William  Martin.  The  last  named  student 
supplied  for  two  years  and  at  his  graduation  in  1900,  was  ordained  for 
the  pastorate.  Under  his  labors,  the  church  has  had  very  much  pros- 
perity. Thus  the  church  has  had  one  house  of  worship  and  two  pas- 
tors. 

The  beginning  of  Baptist  interests  at  Sewell  date  back  to  fifteen 
and  seventeen  years,  when  a  mission  Sunday  school  was  started  at 
"Knight's  Run"  and  sucessfully  maintained  as  a  "union  school."  A 
chapel  was  built  and  it  became  a  mission  of  the  Woodbury  church. 
Misunderstandings  happened,  that  resulted  in  closing  the  house  of 
worship.  The  property  was  to  be  sold  to  cancel  a  mortgage  of  one 
thousand  dollars,  whereupon,  Salath  O.  Prickett,  a  member  of  Black- 
wood Baptist  church,  bought  the  mortgage.  For  several  years,  he 
maintained  the  mission  at  his  personal  cost,  paying  for  preaching,  fuel 
and  light,  repairs  and  keeping  the  house  and  grounds  in  order. 

To  secure  it  as  a  Baptist  house  he  entered  into  agreement  with 
Blackwood  Baptist  church,  whereby  the  "equity"  in  the  real  estate 
was  affected,  but  not  the  religious  tj^pe  of  the  mission.  Blackwood 
church  did  not  take  interest  in  Sewell  and  in  no  sense  was  Sewell  ever 
a  mission  of  Blackwood  church.  Nor  will  a  historj^  of  Sewell  church, 
be  just  that  does  not  credit  Brother  Prickett  with  the  maintenance  of 
the  mission  and  the  organization  of  the  church.  "The  Blackwood  church 
bought  the  mortgage  from  his  widow  and  owns  the  property  freed  from 
all  claims."  The  aoove  is  an  account  of  the  early  interests  of  Sewell 
by  one  familiar  with  it.  The  church  was  organized  in  December  1895. 
The  first  allusion  in  the  minutes  of  the  West  Jersey  Association  to  the 


420  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Sewell  church  was  in  1897,  when  it  suddenly  appears,  there  not  being 
any  account  of  its  admission  previously.  In  that  year,  is  reported  also, 
the  death  of  its  Senior  Deacon,  one  of  its  constituents.  Deacon  Salath 
O.  Prickett,  of  whom  they  say:  "Through  whose  efforts  we  owe  our 
existence  as  a  church  and  also  of  our  property."  His  work  was  early 
done  and  the  church  itself  is  his  memorial.  Rev.  T.  H.  Athey  was  the 
first  pjistor,  remaining  a  year  and  more.  Succeeding  him  was  Rev. 
W.  E.  Gibson.  In  1900,  Rev.  E.  F.  Garrett  is  reported  pastor.  Mr. 
Gibson's  labors  are  spoken  of  highly.  The  church  appears  from  its 
organization  to  have  had  a  steady  and  continuous  gro^i.h.  It  has  had 
three  pastors  and  one  church  edifice. 

A  mission  Sunday  school  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Mr.  Pierson 
founded  by  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Woodbury,  in  1887,  was  the 
seed  of  the  Central  Baptist  church.  Thirty-five  members  were  dis- 
missed by  the  First  church  to  organize  the  Central  church  in  1896. 
Rev.  I.  M.  B.  Thompson  settled  as  pastor  in  March  1897  and  closed 
his  labors  in  Woodbury  in  1899.  The  cause  of  his  removal  was  peculiar. 
The  Afro-American  Baptist  church  asked  the  use  of  the  baptistry  to 
baptize  converts.  Objection  was  made  by  members  of  the  Central 
church  and  the  request  was  refused.  Mr.  Thompson  insisted  that 
the  color  of  the  skin  did  not  hinder  the  grace  of  God  to  the  negro,  nor  was 
a  bar  to  an  entrance  into  Heaven  and  immediately  resigned.  Since  his 
removal,  supplies  have  ministered  to  the  church  and  in  1900,  the  in- 
crease of  membership  was  but  one  more  than  in  1897.  The  race  question 
was  the  only  one  involved  in  the  refusal  of  the  baptistry  to  the  colored 
people. 


CHAPTER   XLV. 


CALDWELL,  BLOOMFIELD,   MONTCLAIR    AND    BROOKDALE 

In  1847,  Baptists  living  in  Caldwell  and  West  Bloomfield  townships 
Essex  County,  becoming  acquainted  with  each  other,  decided  to  hold 
a  prayer  meeting  in  a  school  house  on  the  Lord's  day  afternoon  once  in 
two  weeks.  The  interest  of  the  people  was  such  that  in  the  spring  of 
1848,  they  decided  to  hold  their  meetings  every  week.  Occasionally 
they  had  preaching.  Revs.  S.  Remington,  J.  R.  Biglow,  J.  Potts  of  New 
York  City  and  J.  H.  Waterbury  of  Northfield  visited  them  as  oppor- 
tunity allowed.     At  length,  they  decided  to  organize  a  Baptist  church. 

Thus  twelve  of  these  disciples  met  on  the  29th  of  June  1848,  with 
a  council  that  they  had  called  and  were  recognized  as  the  First  Baptist 
church  of  Caldwell  and  Bloomfield.  In  Novembr  1848,  Mr.  J.  Q. 
Adams  removed  from  New  York  City  to  Caldwell.  These  Baptists 
invited  him  to  speak  at  their  meetings  and  licensed  him  to  preach  and 
after  a  delay,  called  a  council  to  ordain  him,  which  they  did  on  January 
31st,  1849.  The  council  met  at  Stauntin  street  Baptist  church,  but 
the  ordination  was  at  the  Vernon  M.  E.  church.  The  growth  both  of 
attendance  and  of  interest  made  it  necessary  to  build  a  place  of  worship. 
A  lot  was  bought  in  Caldwell  and  on  the  29th  of  June,  1852,  the  house 
was  dedicated.  Mr.  Adams  continued  in  charge  till  the  end  of  February 
1854.  Mr.  Adams's  salary  was  one  hundred  dollars  and  his  board  the 
first  year.  Next  year,  he  had  a  salary  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five 
dollars  and  paid  his  own  board.  The  third  year,  the  church  increased 
the  salary  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  But  he  found  the  increase 
prevented  the  church  from  giving  in  benevolcene.  He  refused  the 
increase  and  insisted  on  having  only  as  much  as  last  year.  Mr.  Adams 
was  with  other  pastors,  choosing  loss  to  themselves  rather  than  loss  to 
the  cause  of  God.  When  Mr.  Adams  retired.  Rev.  Benjamin  Wheeler 
became  pastor  in  May  1854,  and  resigned  in  nine  months. 

Two  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  is  not  an  attractive  salary 
to  support  a  family.  A  long  vacancy  occurred  of  pastoral  service. 
The  church  called  one  of  its  deacons  to  the  pastorate.  Mr.  C.  D.  Lewis 
began  service  in  October  1856  and  was  ordained  the  next  December. 
He  resigned  in  1858.  When  they  could  get  supplies,  they  preached 
until  1860.  Rev.  J.  B.  Hutchinson  was  pastor  at  Caldwell  and  at 
Livingston  churches.  Others  following  were  A.  D.  Willifer,  1863-68; 
J.  Babbage,  1868;  J.  M.  Carpenter,  1870;  W.  E.  Howell,  supply  and 


422  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

pastor,  1874-81;  H.  Steelman,  1882;  W.  G.Thomas,  1884-51 ;  Jabez 
Marshall,  1885-94;  H.  H.  Pary,  1894-97;  F.  St.J  Fitch,  1898-1900. 
Three  members  of  the  church  have  been  licensed  to  preach.  One, 
the  first  pastor,  Mr.  Adams.  Another,  Deacon  Lewis  was  pastor.  Thir- 
teen pastors  have  had  charge  of  the  church.  One  of  them  stayed  but 
nine  months.  Two  others  remained  one  year  and  one  nine  years. 
Another  eight  years.  A  parsonage  had  peen  provided.  The  church 
has  not  yet  numbered  one  hundred  members  in  its  history.  This 
may  explain  the  long  intervals  between  pastors  and  the  many  short 
pastorates.  A  small  salary  allowed  but  little  room  for  choice  and  an 
indifferent  salary  proposed  only  a  very  meagre  living.  At  the  same 
time,  the  readiness  of  these  preachers  to  deny  themselves  for  Christ's 
sake  and  for  the  good  of  their  neighbors,  has  its  illustration. 

Baptist  residents,  had  with  one  exception,  moved  from  Bloomfield 
before  the  Baptist  church  was  formed.  A  union  meeting  of  several 
denominations  was  held  in  the  school  house  at  West  Bloomfield  as  early 
as  1815-20.  Other  Baptists  had  moved  into  the  village  and  a  goodly 
number  of  men  and  women  were  living  in  Bloomfield  to  whom  a 
Baptist  church  was  as  essential  as  other  necessary  conditions  of  life. 

In  west  Bloomfield,  now  Montclair,  Baptists  were  associated  with 
Caldwell  church  under  the  pastoral  care  of  J.  Q.  Adams.  Bloomfield 
was  more  central  to  Baptists  and  the  meetings  were  transferred  from 
West  Bloomfield  to  Bloomfield.  As  the  need  of  a  Baptist  church  grew, 
the  Baptists  met  on  November  25th,  and  resolved:  "That  we  do 
form  ourselves  into  a  church  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  be  called  the 
First  Baptist  church  of  Bloomfield.  Thirteen  Baptists  signed  "The 
Article  of  Faith  and  the  Covenant."  Among  them  was  Mr.  U.  D.  Ward 
and  Mrs.  Ward.  Mr.  Ward  was  well  and  widely  known  in  business  in 
New  York  City  and  officially  connected  with  our  Baptist  Publication 
Society.  An  old  school  house,  after  repairs  and  furniture,  was  used 
for  Lord's  day  worship,  Sunday  school  and  social  meetings.  The 
congregations  soon  out  grew  the  capacity  of  the  building  and  it  was 
decided  to  build  a  place  of  worship.  Lots  were  bought  and  a  meeting 
house  was  begun  in  March  1852.  In  April,  six  candidates  "were  buried 
in  baptism."  The  church  edifice  was  dedicated  in  July  1853.  Rev. 
J.  D.  Meeson  became  pastor  in  July  1852  and  resigned  in  1853.  Next 
month  he  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Pratt. 

Mr.  Pratt  was  pastor  five  years.  Rev.  H.  F.  Smith  entered  the 
pastorate  in  August  1858,  continuing  till  1869,  eleven  years.  A  period 
of  usefullncss  and  of  increase.  In  the  spring  of  1869,  Rev.  W.  F. 
Stubbert  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor.  His  health  failed  in  1875  and 
unable  to  preach  after  a  long  vacation,  he  resigned.  Rev.  E.  D,  Simons 


FIRST  BLOOMFIELD,  MONTCLAIR,  BROOKDALE        423 

was  pastor  for  the  coming  twelve  years.  His  successor,  Rev.  C.  A. 
Cook  took  charge  of  the  church  in  1888  and  in  1900  had  the  undiminished 
confidence  of  his  people.  The  first  house  of  worship  is  still  in  use, 
forty-seven  or  eight  years.  Enlarged  and  modernized,  it  is  adapted  in 
fitness  and  convenience  for  all  uses.  Five  pastors  have  served  the 
church.  The  first  only  stayed  four  months.  Several  members  have 
been  licensed  to  preach  and  the  church  has  come  to  a  local  and  foreign 
influence  for  which  its  founders  have  prayed  and  to  attain  which,  its 
memberships  have  labored. 

The  Montclair  Baptist  church  was  a  fruit  of  the  special  work  of 
the  missionary  committee  of  the  North  Association  of  which,  then, 
Rev.  E.  D.  Simons,  pastor  of  Bloomfield  church,  was  chairman.  The 
church  was  constituted  in  January  1886,  with  forty-three  members. 
A  Sunday  school  had  been  established  in  the  town  in  November  1885. 
Rev.  G.  F.  Warren  became  pastor  in  1887.  The  church  membership 
grew  rapidly  under  Pastor  Warren  and  in  1888,  a  member,  Mrs.  Weaver 
left  a  legacy  of  two  hundred  dollars,  which  was  a  nucleus  of  a  fund  to 
build  a  house  of  worship. 

Pastor  Warren  resigned  in  the  early  part  of  1889.  In  1890,  Rev. 
William  N.  Hubbell  settled  as  pastor.  A  lot  for  a  church  edifice  was 
bought  and  paid  for  and  eleven  thousand  dollars  was  subscribed  to 
assure  the  completion  of  a  house  of  worship,  under  construction  and 
which  was  opened  for  Divine  worship  in  March  1891.  Interest  was 
developed  in  the  Swedes,  numbers  of  them  had  settled  near  by  Mont- 
clair. This  enterprise  was  organized  as  a  Swedish  department  of  the 
Montclair  church.  Rev.  Carl  Hedeen  was  put  in  charge  of  it.  He 
held  three  meetings  each  week  in  Montclair  and  one  in  the  week  in 
Orange.  On  June  1st,  1896,  pastor  closed  six  years  of  active  pastoral 
care  at  Montclair.  On  the  23rd  of  May,  1897,  Rev.  H.  A.  Tupper,  Jr., 
settled  as  pastor.  In  1899,  in  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Swedish  depart- 
ment. Rev.  N.  E.  Neilson  following  Rev.  Carl  Hedeen.  Pastor 
Tupper  removed  on  April  1st,  1900,  accepting  an  important  call  to 
Brooklyn.  Having  been  cared  for  for  years,  the  Swedish  department 
took  upon  itself  a  church  organization  of  its  own.  First  Montclair 
losing  more  than  one  hundred  members,  reducing  its  membership  but 
not  its  income. 

Brookdale  was  first  known  as  "Old  Stone  House  Plains."  The 
locality  was  mission  ground  of  the  First  Bloomfield  Baptist  church, 
many  years  ago.  Pastor  H.  F.  Smith  of  Bloomfield  occupied  it.  It 
was  not,  however,  a  fertile  field  for  Baptists.  It  had  been  pre-occupied 
with  anti-Baptist  views  for  generations.  But  more  than  thirty  years 
since,  a  straight  forward  Irish  Baptist,  who  with  his  wife,  had  been 


424  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

baptized  by  Rev.  H.  C.  Fish  of  Newark,  and  who  knew  whereof  he 
believed  and  why,  Mr.  Henry  Hepburn,  bought  property  and  made  his 
home  there. 

His  grandfather,  on  the  maternal  side,  had  been  a  deacon  in  Alex. 
Carson's  church  in  Ireland.  People  trained  in  that  school  were  familiar 
with  Bible  truth  and  not  churlish  bigots.  Christliness  was  the  mould 
of  his  faith  and  conduct.  Mr.  Hepburn  co-operated  with  the  Methodists 
in  their  work.  Their  local  church  was  organized  in  his  house  in  1873. 
Next  year,  they  built  their  meeting  house.  Their  Zion  was  prosperous 
while  young.  Then  it  declined  until  public  worship  was  suspended. 
Tlieir  house  of  worship  vacant  for  a  long  while,  was  finally  sold  and  Mr. 
Hepburn  bought  it  in  the  summer  of  1893.  The  next  September,  the 
Bloomfield  Bapt'st  church  revived  its  mission  at  Brookdale.  Pastor 
Cook  of  Bloomfield  maintained  a  regular  appointment  from  September 
1893. 

Two  years  later.in  June  1895,the  Brookdale  church  was  constituted 
with  forty-one  members.  Rev.  S.  L.  Harter,  a  student,  began  preach- 
ing in  Brookdale  in  June  1894.  He  was  the  first  pastor  and  closed  his 
labors  in  May  1896.  Rev.  W.  N.  Hubbell  was  pastor  in  1897,  resigning 
in  1898.  In  1899,  Rev.  J.  H.  Brittain  entered  on  the  pastoral  care 
of  Brookdale  church  and  is  now  discharging  its  offices.  The  future  of 
Brookdale  church  is,  that  it  will  not  be  a  large  body,  but  that  intelligence 
will  characterize  it,  and  its  mission  will  be  to  tell  the  story  of  the  cross. 
The  Hepburn  family  held  their  membership  at  Passaic.  Brookdale 
was  a  mission  of  Bloomfield  church  The  two  last  pastors  have  sustained 
it.     It  has  had  three  pastors,  the  last  of  whom  was  in  office  in  1904. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 


BERGEN,  BELVIDERE,  WESTFIELD,  AND  GLENWOOD 

An  amicable  division  of  the  original  Hudson  City  church,  since 
known  as  the  Summit  Avenue  church  issued,  in  the  Bergen  Baptist 
church,  constituted  February  7th,  1859,  with  thirty-six  members. 
Pastor  Eastwood  of  Hudson  City  church,  going  with  the  colony  and 
becoming  the  pastor  of  the  Bergen  church  at  its  organization.  Mr. 
Eastwood  was  pastor  till  April  1860.  Upon  his  resignation,  supplies 
ministered  to  the  church  until  September,  when  Rev.  William  B. 
Shrope  entered  on  the  charge  of  the  church. 

That  year,  a  large  lot  was  bought  and  measures  were  taken  to  build 
a  house  of  worship.  Pastor  Shrope  having  resigned.  In  1861,  Rev. 
W.  Pendleton  settled.  His  stay,  like  that  of  Mr.  Shrope,  was  short. 
In  1863,  Rev.  J.  S.  Ladd  became  pastor.  Again  in  1864,  there  was 
an  empty  pulpit.  These  were  the  years  of  the  Civil  War.  Churches 
endured  great  losses  of  men  enlisted,  of  spirituality  and  the  possibilities 
involved  in  either  side  being  victor.  Religious  interests  were  at  a  low 
ebb  and  all  financial  affairs  straightened.  In  1865,  Rev.  William 
Rollinson  took  charge,  remaining  till  January,  1869.  In  1871,  Rev. 
W.  W.  Hammond  settled  and  a  large  house  of  worship  was  begun. 
The  church  edifice  was  completed  in  1872.  Jersey  City  was  growing 
and  absorbing  its  suburbs.  The  Bergen  church  was  now  called  Jersey 
City  Bergen. 

Mr.  Hammond  closed  his  labors  in  Bergen  in  1875.  Rev.  J.  B 
Vosburg  entered  the  pastorate  after  Mr.  Hammond  resigned  and  con- 
tinued till  1878.  Mr.  Vosburg  was  indicted  by  the  Grand  Jury  of  the 
County  for  an  attempt  to  poison  his  wife;  the  jury  disagreed;  afterwards 
he  was  allowed  his  liberty.  Rev.  W.  H.  Parmly,  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  church  in  Jersey  City  for  more  than  thirty  years,  wrote  in 
answer  to  a  letter  of  inquiry  about  Mr.  Vosburg:  "He  left  Jersey  City 
when  I  presumed  and  still  presume,  that  about  one  half  or  more  of  the 
Baptists  regarded  him  guilty  and  married  (it  is  reported)  the  girl,  with 
whom  his  name  had  been  connected  during  his  trial."  Rev.  W.  W. 
Everts,  Sr.,  had  a  prosperous  charge  from  1879  to  1884.  In  September 
1884,  Rev.  D.  J.  Ellison  settled  in  Bergen  and  in  1895,  resigned.  While 
pastor  many  converts  were  baptized.  This  period  was  an  enlargement 
of  both  the  spiritual  and  material  interests  of  the  church.  Rev.  J.  C. 
Allen  was  pastor  in  1893  and  had  many  seals  of  his  ministry.     The 


426  XEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

division  of  the  Hudson  City  church  in  1859  was  apparently  an  unwise 
movement,  resulting  in  two  struggling  churches.  Nevertheless,  results 
illustrated  to  each  body  the  Divine  faithfulness  to  those  who  devise 
liberal  things.  Bergen  church  has  had  ten  pastors.  The  record  of 
Associations  do  not  show  how  many  have  been  licensed  to  preach. 
Two  meeting  houses  have  been  built  for  the  use  of  the  Bergen  church. 

Belvidere  Baptist  church  was  constituted  in  1859.  North  New 
Jersey  has  not  been  congenial  soil  for  Baptists  since  the  Antinomian 
foray.  Not  on  account  of  the  people  there  but  on  account  of  the 
Armenian  blight  from  about  1828  to  18-10,  trouble  has  befallen  our 
Baptist  churches,  and  this  has  come  from  within  and  not  from  with- 
out. 

Earlier,  our  churches  were  numerous  and  strong.  A  great  change 
has  come  in  that  section  since  railroads  have  opened  it.  When  the  few 
Baptists  in  Belvidere  associated  in  a  church,  it  was  believed  to  be  an 
unwise  movement.  Four  years  later,  they  wrote:  "We  have  had 
no  meetings  for  two  years.  The  newest  Baptist  church  has  been 
without  a  pastor  for  a  nuinber  of  years."  Not  that  outside  influences 
were  hurtful  to  them  but  that  the  people  were  mixed,  some  good  and 
some  not  so  good.  About  1859,  the  Board  of  the  State  Convention 
.sent  a  missionary  to  Belvidere.  But  the  town  needed  local  work  which 
a  pastor  only  could  do.  Mr.  C.  E.  Cordo  was  ordained  in  March  1864. 
His  stay,  however,  was  but  a  year.  Rev.  T.  F.  Borches  settled  in  1866 
and,  like  Mr.  Cordo,  won  a  congregation.  But  his  health  compelled 
his  removal  to  the  West.  In  the  meantime.  Rev.  H.  C.  Fish  of  First 
Newark  Baptist  church  \'isited  Belvidere  and  built  a  large  and  costly 
church  edifice  in  a  choice  location  which  was  dedicated  in  February 
1868.  The  cost  of  this  building,  if  spent  on  the  pulpit  might  have 
resulted  in  a  good  church  in  Belvidere.  As  it  was,  it  was  waste.  But 
Mr.  Fish  had  his  choice.  In  1874,  responding  to  an  appeal  to  the 
denomination  the  debt  on  the  property  was  paid  on  the  condition  that 
the  property  must  be  deeded  to  the  Convention  and  kept  forever  for 
Baptist  uses.  In  1902,  the  property  was  ordered  to  be  sold.  It  had 
been  mortgaged  to  pay  debt  on  Clinton  Avenue  Church,  Trenton,  N.  J. 
This  vote  to  sell  the  property  by  the  Board  of  the  Convention  is  an 
instance  of  the  unreliability  of  the  pledges  of  religious  corporations. 

Twenty  years  hence,  this  dishonesty  will  be  plead  as  a  precedent 
to  divert  other  funds  of  the  Convention  collected  for  special  use  to 
other  ends.  Deacon  Deats  of  Cherry viUe  stated  these  facts  to  the  writer. 
He  was  one  of  a  committee  to  dispose  of  this  property  (notwithstanding 
the  pledge  referred  to)  conferring  with  an  elder  of  a  Presbyterian 
church  in  Belvidere,  who  offered  a  price  for  the  property  to  be  given 


BELVIDERE  AND  WESTFIELD  427 

to  the  Roman  Catholics.  Mr.  Deats  insisted  that  if  Belvidere  could 
buy  the  property  for  the  Roman  Catholics  on  a  plea  that  they  could  re- 
tain their  domestics,  they  could  raise  the  money  to  pay  the  debts  on  it 
and  save  it  to  Protestantism.  The  elder  positively  refused.  This  so-cal- 
led Christian  was  more  willing  to  provide  for  Romanism  a  home,  than 
to  give  a  cent  to  help  a  Baptist  church.  Of  this  sort  is  the  religion  of 
some.  The  succession  of  pastors  at  Belvidere  has  been:  J.G.  Entrekin 
1869-74;  A.  B.McGowan,  (supply),  1874;  C.  W.O.  Nyce,  1875-79;  H.  A. 
Chapman,  1880;  E.  W.  Lamb,  joint  pastor  with  Montana,  1883;  W.  A. 
Smith,  1889-91 .  W.  W.  Barker  of  Phillipsburg  on  a  week  evening,  1894. 
Since  then  as  concerns  Baptist  interests  the  silence  of  the  grave  has  been 
at  Belvidere.  Lessons  taught  by  this  history  are:  I.  The  foUy  of  run- 
ning before  one  is  sent,  shown  by  Rev.  H.  C.  Fish,  in  building  at  so 
large  a  cost,  such  a  house.  Houses  do  not  build  up  churches.  The 
interest  thrown  away  at  Belvidere  would  have  sustained  a  first-class 
pastor  there  and  the  house  would  have  come.  II.  The  suiting  of  money 
to  the  end;  shown  by  the  policy  of  the  Board  of  the  Convention,  which 
having  the  right  man,  Mr.  Cordo,  in  a  needy  place  did  not  keep  him  there. 

Baptists  were  living  in  Westfield  for  some  time  before  a  Baptist 
church  was  organized  there.  But  in  December  1865,  they  held  re- 
ligious meetings.  As  their  number  increased,  desire  for  a  church 
grew.  A  place  of  worship  was  a  prime  necessity  and  steps  were  taken 
to  build  one.  Lots  were  bought  and  the  house  begun.  On  December 
20th,  1866,  a  year  from  their  first  social  meeting,  the  church  was  recog- 
nized. Next  year,  in  September  1867,  the  house  of  worship  was  ded- 
icated. 

Although  a  pastor  was  not  settled  for  three  years.  Rev.  Messrs. 
J.  S.  Ladd  and  Hillman  and  J.  Greaves  preached  regularly,  Mr.  Greaves 
ministering  gratuitously.  In  June  1870,  Mr.  Greaves  accepted  a  call 
to  be  pastor  and  served  the  church  for  six  years.  Thus,  for  nine  years, 
Mr.  Greaves  was  a  great  blessing  to  the  church  and  the  members  grew 
from  fourteen  to  seventy-four.  His  successor.  Rev.  C.  A.  Harris  be- 
came pastor  December  24th,  1876  and  on  March  24th,  1880,  resigned, 
having  had  a  useful  and  happy  charge.  On  July  4th,  1880,  Rev.  E.  H. 
Bronson  entered  on  the  pastorate,  but  retired  in  a  little  more  than  two 
years.  His  charge  was  memorable  in  that  the  debt  was  paid  and  the 
general  welfare  of  the  church  was  advanced.  Rev.  S.  F.  Masse  settled 
as  pastor;  his  stay,  however,  was  but  four  months.  Providentially, 
Rev.  J.  K.  Folwell  accepted  a  call  in  July  1885.  An  immediate  change 
came  into  every  department  of  Christian  work. 

The  Sunday  school  and  the  social  meetings  took  on  new  life.  Such 
changes  involved  the  improvement  of  the  church  edifice  and  included 


428  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

the  building  of  a  parsonage.  Mr.  Folwell  interested  himself  in  the 
Anglo  Africo  people,  and  through  a  trustee  a  neat  meeting  house  and 
parsonage  was  secured  for  them.     Mr.  Folwell  resigned  in  September 

1891,  having  had  a  large  harvest  in  his  six  years  service.     In  February 

1892,  Rev.  J.  G.  Dyer  entered  on  the  pastorate.  Thirty  Anglo-Africo 
members  were  dismissed  in  September  1893  to  constitute  a  church. 
Mr.  Johnson,  their  pastor,  was  ordained  in  1892,  while  employed  by  the 
Westfield  church  as  a  missionary  to  his  people.  Mr.  Dyer  resigned  in 
January  1st,  1896  and  was  followed  in  March  1896,  by  Rev.  G.  A.  Fran- 
cis, sustaining  his  relation  as  pastor  through  1900.  The  church  has  had 
seven  pastors,  of  whom  the  first  was  the  longest  settled.  One  church 
has  sprung  from  Westfield. 

Union  Hill  church  was  first  named  "Town  of  Union,"  and  was 
constituted  in  November  1866  with  eight  members.  T.  J.  Weeks  was 
pastor  in  1867,  W.  Archei  in  1868,  J.  A.  Metz,  1869-70;  E.  Scheffer, 
1871-72;  G.  F.  Hendrickson,  1873;  a  licentiate  served  in  1874.  Robert 
Fisher,  1874-80.  In  1877,  the  house  of  worship  was  improved.  Pastor 
Fisher's  charge  was  closed  by  his  death  in  1880. 

In  1880-84,  P.  F.  Jones  was  pastor  and  in  1883,  the  name  of  the 
church  was  changed  to  Union  Hill.  Mr.  J.  Campbell,  a  licentiate,  sup- 
plied the  church  for  two  years  till  1888,  when  H.  A.  King  became  pastor 
for  two  years.  E.  N.  Harding  followed  Mr.  King  for  two  years,  1890-91 ; 
C.  S.  Daniels,  pastor  in  1892-94;  J.  H.  Dudley,  1894-97.  In  1895,  the 
old  property  was  sold  and  a  new  and  spacious  house  built  in  a  central 
locality.  Worship  was  begun  in  the  basement  in  the  fall  of  1895.  The 
upper  room  was  occupied  soon  after.  When  Mr.  Dudley  resigned,  Rev. 
H.  C.  Carr  settled  as  pastor  in  1897,  staying  until  1898,  when  Rev.  T.  J. 
Cleaveland  became  pastor  in  1899  and  was  in  1900.  Of  the  first  church 
edifice, no  other  mention  is  made  than  of  its  sale.  The  church  has  had  thir- 
teen pastors,  including  the  licentiates.  One  member  has  been  licensed  to 
preach.  There  is  a  German  Baptist  church  on  Union  Hill  and  there  is 
a  large  German  element  in  the  near  neighborhood.  Two  houses  of 
worship  have  been  in  use. 

Glenwood  was  originally  known  as  North  Vernon.  It  is  easy  to 
believe  that  First  Newton,  later  Wantage,  with  two  houses  of  worship 
one  near  Hamburg  and  one  at  Augusta,  had  permeated  Sussex  County 
with  Baptist  ideas.  North  Vernon  and  the  Vernon  near  Hamburg, 
where  a  Baptist  church  had  been  constituted  in  1798,  which  in  1811, 
removed  to  Hamburg,  taking  the  name  of  Hamburg  and  retaining 
its  original  date  1798,  must  also  have  been  imbued  with  Baptist  views. 

Glenwood  church  is  distant  one  half  mile  from  the  line  separating 
New  Jersey  and  New  York.      Rev.  Samuel  Grenelle,  pastor  of  Orange 


GLENWOOD  429 

church  in  New  York  State,  had  a  regular  service  at  North  Vernon  and 
on  his  removal  his  successors  maintained  it.  In  1845,  Rev.  William 
H.  Spencer  of  Hamburg  organized  the  Glenwood  Baptists  into  a  branch 
of  the  Hamburg  church.  Since  then.  Baptists  held  monthly  church 
meetings  and  enjoyed  in  their  locality,  the  quarterly  administration 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Other  Baptists  moved  to  Glenwood  in  1862, 
and  all  of  them  agreed  to  organize  a  Baptist  church.  Baptists  bought 
a  deserted  meeting  house  in  the  village  and  a  committee  visited  Zelotes 
Grenelle  and  engaged  him  to  be  pastor.  A  young  man,  Daniel  Bailey, 
not  a  member  of  the  church,  built  a  parsonage  and  gave  it  to  the  church. 
The  parsonage  is  now  in  use.  Three  churches,  Hamburg,  Orange  of 
New  York  State  and  First  Wantage,  had  thirty-eight  members  living 
near  Glenwood.  A  council  was  called  to  meet  on  January  11th,  1862, 
to  recognize  these  as  the  Glenwood  Baptist  church.  The  council  met 
and  the  plans  were  carried  out.  Rev.  Z.  Grenelle  was  pastor.  Mr. 
Grenelle  concluded  his  pastorate  in  1865.  His  nephew,  Rev.  T.  M. 
Grenelle  was  immediately  called  to  be  pastor  and  began  his  charge  in 
1865  and  in  1900,  was  pastor,  thirty-five  years.  A  new  church  edifice 
costing  ten  thousand  dollars  was  erected  in  a  more  eligible  position  in 
1870.  The  building  included  the  conveniences  and  helps  for  worship 
and  work  usual  to  Baptist  churches  in  modern  times  and  was  dedi- 
cated free  of  debt.  A  rural  community  and  isolated,  neither  sudden 
or  large  growth  is  anticipated.  Still  seasons  of  revival  have  been  fre- 
quently enjoyed,  and  latterly  in  this  long  pastorate  as  in  its  earlier  per- 
iods. Two  houses  of  worship  have  been  in  use.  The  first  bought,  the 
second  built  by  the  church.  There  have  been  two  pastors,  an  uncle 
and  a  nephew.  The  nephew  holding  the  ground  which  his  father  had 
cultivated  and  occupied  seventy  years  before. 


** 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 


HAMMONTON  AND  VINELAXD. 

Few  other  churches  have  had  a  more  lowly  beginning  than  Ham- 
monton.  Its  membership,  when  organized  in  June  1859,  was  but 
seven.  Neither  pastor  or  house  of  worship  cheered  these  few.  True 
the  two  or  three  might  claim  the  promise  of  the  Divine  presence  and 
its  girding,  with  moreassurance  than  a  multitude  and  yet  human  nature 
asks;  "What  are  these  among  so  many?"  There  is  also,  in  the  world 
a  judgment  that  magnifies  weakness.  Humanity  limits  God  and  measures 
him  by  its  owti  rule.  Still  the  .seven  had  grown  to  sixteen.  In  another 
year  and  the  sixteen  had  multiplied  to  thirty-seven. 

A  pastor,  a  good  and  true  man.  Rev.  Thomas  Davis,  was  engaged: 
a  thousand  dollars  had  been  accumulated  to  build  a  church  edifice 
on  land  given  to  the  church  in  1860,  and  a  house  of  worship  was  erected 
and  was  dedicated  in  August  1864.  The  good  man  who  ministers  to 
them  stays  to  have  part  in  their  gladness  and  then  says  to  them:  "Fare- 
well," having  for  two  years  shared  in  their  straits  and  triumphs. 
Another,  Rev.  George  Kempton,  having  in  mind  their  narrow  financial 
resources,  adapts  himself  to  their  needs  and  ministers  to  them  cheer- 
fully and  profitably,  until  in  1869,  they  have  attained  strength  to  sus- 
tain a  pastor.  Then  Rev.  S.  J.  Weaver  enters  on  the  duties  of  pastor 
for  a  year,  after  which.  Pastor  Kempton  then  resumes iiis  pastoral  care, 
which  he  retains  to  June  1878.  A  period  of  cheerful  and  nearly  volun- 
tary service  for  twelve  years.  Rev.  William  M.  Paulin  is  pastor  for  a 
year.  He  is  followed  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Jacob  in  June,  1880.  Mr.  Jacob 
was  with  them  two  years.  The  house  of  worship  in  use  for  sixteen 
years  was  in  need  of  renovation  and  that  was  accomplished.  On 
June  1st,  Rev.  T.  Bishop  became  pastor  for  a  year,  whom  Rev.  D.  T. 
Davies  followed  for  two  years.  Internal  differences  account  for  the 
frequent  changes.  In  the  last  charge  the  house  of  worship  was  removed 
to  a  better  location  and  one  was  licensed  to  preach. 

Rev.  E.  M.  Ogden  followed  in  January  1887.  Under  Mr.  Ogden 
mission  Sunday  schools  were  planted  in  near  by  towns  and  at  Rosedale 
a  chapel  was  built  in  1888.  The  pastor's  health  failed  and  he  resigned 
in  1889.  Rev.  L.  R.  Sweet  became  pastor  in  January  1890.  Scores 
were  baptized  and  the  house  of  worship  was  enlarged.  In  1891,  a 
student  supply  served  the  church  and  another  student  ministered 
in  1894.     Mr.  J.  C.  Killian  was  ordained  in  June  1894,  continuing  to 


HAMMONTON  AND  FIRST  VINELAND  431 

1897.  Kev.  T.  H.  Athey  was  pastor  in  1898-1900.  Eleven  pastors 
have  ministered  to  the  church.  One  was  pastor  twelve  years.  His 
salary  was  only  nominal,  being  a  resident  and  this  may  explain  the 
length  of  his  pastorate.  But  one  house  of  worship  has  been  in  use. 
It  has,  however,  been  enlarged  and  modernized  and  moved  to  a  central 
location. 

The  part  of  New  Jersey  called  Vineland,  when  named  was  in  general 
opinion,  a  waste  of  pines  and  sand.  A  genial  climate  won  many  from 
the  cold  and  ice  of  New  England.  An  easily  cultured  soil  and  its 
adaptation  to  fruits,  won  others,  weary  of  the  hardships  of  a  cold  and 
unremunerative  soil.  Vineland  was  rescued  from  waste  and  became  the 
home  of  a  contented  and  busy  people,  who  changed  the  desert  into 
fields  of  verdure  and  profit. 

The  section  proved  healthful,  the  soil  invited  cultivation  and  made 
large  returns,  and  by  nearness  to  large  cities  and  seaside  resorts,  had 
markets  for  its  products.  Great  numbers  of  people,  weary  of  long  and 
cold  winters,  some  enfeebled  with  illness  and  some  induced  by  the 
romance  of  a  new  place,  made  the  section  a  "habitation  and  a  name." 
Thus  Vineland  had  a  conglomerate  population  and  conglomerate 
opinions:  free  thinkers,  thoughtful  thinkers;  babblers  of  science  and 
babblers  of  ignorance.  Mixed  in  a  jumble  of  goodness  and  a  jumble 
of  badness,  rocks  and  putty.  Among  them  were  Baptists;  these  had 
met  in  social  and  religious  converse,  but  had  not  indulged  in  the  thought 
of  church  organization,  until  suggested  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Challis.  Where- 
upon those  of  one  mind,  decided  to  constitute  a  regular  Baptist  church. 
They  numbered  thirty-three  and  on  the  23rd  of  May,  1865,  constituted 
a  Baptist  church.  Supplies  preached  to  them  the  first  year  and  in 
July  1866,  Rev.  Lyman  Chase  became  pastor.  Owing  to  the  uncertain- 
ty of  building  a  house  of  worship,  Mr.  Chase  gave  up  his  charge  in  nine 
months.  Mr.  J.  H.  Brittain  in  August,  1867,  entered  the  pastorate 
and  was  ordained  the  next  month.  A  hall  was  first  used  for  worship, 
then  an  upper  story  was  offered  until  the  church  edifice  was  completed. 
Mr.  Brittain  resigned  in  November  1871. 

The  next  month.  Rev.  H.  B.  Randall  entered  as  pastor  and  it  befell 
him  to  complete  and  settle  all  the  business  of  the  erection  of  the  new 
house  of  worship.  In  the  five  years  of  his  oversight,  Mr.  Randall  bap- 
tized one  hundred  and  thirty  into  the  church  and  as  many  were  re- 
ceived by  letter  and  by  experience.  Mr.  Randall  had  a  successful 
charge  in  building  up  the  church.  Rev.T.W.  Conway  followed  in  Feb- 
ruary 1877.  He  stayed  one  year.  In  August  1878,  Rev.  C.  A.  Mott 
became  pastor.  His  stay  was  short,  closing  his  work  in  Vineland,  early 
in  1879.     Differences  happened.     Forty-eight  members  were  dismissed 


432  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  formed  another  Baptist  church  that  Hved  about  eighteen  months 
and  under  Pastor  Walden,  who  settled  in  March  1880,  nearly  all  re- 
turned. Mr.  Walden  resigned  in  June  1883.  On  November  1st,  in 
1883,  Rev.  E.  S.  ToAvne  became  pastor.  A  lot  given  by  a  sister  Dyer, 
secured  the  building  of  a  parsonage  while  Mr.  Towne  was  pastor.  At 
the  end  of  five  years,  Mr.  Towne  resigned.  But  the  church  adjourned 
to  meet  at  the  home  of  Pastor  Towne  and  he  withdrew  his  resignation, 
but  stayed  until  December  1890  and  removed  despite  serious  objections 
by  the  church.  In  May  1891,  Rev.  L.  R.  Sweet  was  called  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  to  be  pastor  at  Vineland  and  to  continue  his  studies, 
and  this  was  the  order  till  1894.  Early  in  1895,  Rev.  H.  H.  Thomas 
settled. 

Old  difficulties  that  had  subsided,  arose  and  in  April  1895,  twenty- 
nine  were  dismissed.  Mr.  Thomas  had  a  successful  charge  and  the 
church  was  united.  Rev.  A.  E.  Douglass  began  his  oversight  in  April 
1899,  and  is  pastor  in  1900.  The  short  life  of  the  church  has  been 
characterized  by  two  councils  to  adjust  troubles  and  two  churches 
formed  by  disaffected  members.  An  aggregation  of  members  of  diff- 
erent ideas,  from  both  east  and  west,  north  and  south,  had  uncon- 
genialities.  It  is  not  American  or  Baptistic  to  take  kindly  to  "leading 
strings."  At  Vineland,  all  kinds  of  people  met,  each  meaning  to  be 
"somebody."  The  people  were  kindly,  but  the  conditions  were  new. 
Wilfullness  is  a  fault  of  humanity.  Obstinacy  and  temper  get  the 
better  of  the  best  of  men  and  there  we  rest.  The  church  has  had  ten 
pastors,  all  good  men.  Two  colonies  were  dismissed.  The  first,  quietly 
returned  to  the  fold.  The  second  organized  the  West  Vineland  Baptist 
church  in  1895.     One  or  more  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach. 

South  Vineland  Baptist  church  was  constituted  in  1867  and  re- 
organized in  1870-71 .  An  explanation  of  the  reorganization  is  indicated 
by  the  movements  of  some  Baptist  sects  in  the  settlement.  Certain 
Baptists  settled  in  South  Vineland  in  1864  Some  were  "Free  Baptists," 
Armenian  in  doctrine  and  "open  communion"  in  practice. 

They,  in  building  their  homes,  began  religious  meetings.  A  society 
made  up  of  different  names,  began  a  house  of  worship  in  1865.  The 
first  Lord's  Day  of  the  month  was  assigned  to  Presbyterians.  The 
second  was  assigned  to  the  Free  Baptists.  The  third  to  the  Methodists. 
The  fourth  to  the  Friends  (Quakers).  On  the  fifth.  Rev.  O.  Wilbur 
preached  for  two  years  till  the  fall  of  1869.  The  society  that  had 
built  the  place  of  worship,  offered  to  give  it  to  any  evangelical  denomin- 
ation, who  would  complete  the  building  and  use  it  for  worship.  The 
owner  of  the  lot,  Mr.  W.  H.  Gardner,  offered  to  deed  it  to  Baptists  on 
given  conditions.     They  accepted  the  financial  terras  through   Mr. 


SOUTH  AND  WEST  VINELAND  433 

N.  P.  Potter  and  collected  at  First  Salem,  First  Bridge  ton,  First  New 
Brunswick  and  Governor  Buckingham  of  Connecticut,  and  on  the 
field,  the  needed  five  hundred  dollars  to  meet  the  conditions  of  the 
property.  Mr.  N.  P.  Potter  moved  to  South  Vineland  in  1867  and 
finding  twenty  regular  Baptists  there  a  Baptist  church  was  organized 
that  fall. 

Whatever  was  the  reason,  in  September,  1870,  "upon  the  advice 
of  Rev.  P.R.  Russell  the  church  that  had  organized  as  a  Baptist  church 
in  1867,  disbanded  to  reorganize."  On  the  next  week,  seventeen  of  the 
old  members  formed  a  Baptist  church  adopting  the  Articles  of  Faith 
and  Covenant  in  the  Manual  of  Rev.  J.  Newton  Brown."  Of  the 
twenty  constituents  in  1867,  eleven  were  among  the  reorganizers  in 
1870  and  possibly  there  were  thirteen.  "The  Sunday  school  was  re- 
organized in  1870  on  lines  in  accord  with  the  denomination."  Mr. 
Russell  was  the  first  pastor  of  this  body.     He  was  pastor  from  1870  to 

1875.  Then  he  retired  from  the  public  ministry  being  nearly  seventy 
years  old. 

Rev.  W.  W.  Meech  became  pastor  in  1875.  A  mission  Sunday 
school  had  been  started  at  Magnolia  in  1874.     There  in  the  summer  of 

1876,  many  conversions  were  professed.  Pastor  Meech  resigned  in 
October  1893,  on  account  of  impaired  health,  having  been  pastor 
seventeen  years.  A  licentiate  of  the  first  church,  Mr.  E.  Hemming 
was  a  supply,  but  home  and  business  called  him  away.  Attempts  were 
made  to  make  South  Vineland  a  branch  of  the  first  church.  This 
failing,  Pastor  Meech  reentered  as  pastor  of  the  church  and  is  now  (1900) 
the  pastor.  In  both  periods,  being  pastor  twenty-five  years,  serving 
in  his  second  term  "at  his  owti  charges."  The  outlook  is  not  cheering. 
The  membership  is  but  twelve,  of  whom  five  are  non-residents. 

A  council  which  first  Vineland  Church  called  to  advise  them,  in 
some  of  their  internal  troubles  had  adjourned  and  seemingly  the  diffi- 
culties were  settled,  afterward,  the  troubles  appeared  again.  Where- 
upon, at  the  request  of  twenty-nine  members,  letters  of  dimission  were 
given  to  them  and  West  Vineland  was  organized  in  April,  1895.  Mr. 
J.  H.  Bowne,  while  a  student,  preached  for  the  new  church  till  February 
1896.  Mr.  C.  W.  WiUiams  also  a  student,  followed  Mr.  Bowne.  Mr. 
Williams  is  in  1900  acting  pastor  of  West  Vineland  church.  Efforts 
to  build  a  house  of  worship  for  themselves  was  completed  in  1899,  when 
they  occupied  a  "beautiful  church  home."  The  outlook  for  the  young 
church  is  cheering. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 


TOMS  RIVER,  LAKEWOOD  AND  NEWFIELD. 

There  had  been  some  early  Baptist  ministries  from  Manahawken 
(1770)  North  to  Manasquan  (1804).  It  is  now  too  late  to  learn  of 
Baptist  ministers  and  of  their  work,  "along  shore"  in  the  early  days. 
I.ocal  traditions  must  content  us.  The  seclusion  of  the  seashore  and 
of  the  Pines  have  shut  the  book  of  knowledge.  The  Pines  were  almost 
an  impassable  barrier  to  travel  and  commerce.  For  many  years,  they 
were  a  hiding  place  for  fugitives  from  slavery  and  from  the  courts. 
Lost  in  the  pines  was  a  hopeless  loss. 

In  1835,  Mr.  A.  O.  S.  Havens,  (See  Manasquan  church  history  for 
his  origin  and  family),  was  pastor  of  Kettle  Creek  church.  Of  its 
seven  constituents,  five  were  Havens.  His  field  was  from  Manasquan 
to  Manahawken.  He  permeated  the  coast  with  Baptist  ideas.  When 
he  died  in  1854,  he  did  not  have  a  successor  in  travel  or  in  preaching. 
His  children,  nine  grandchildren  and  great  grandchildren  are  there  and 
were  constituents  of  the  Baptist  church.  Also  at  Burrsville  and  at 
Lakewood.  Toms  River  Baptist  church  was  the  first  born  of  the 
missionary  committee  of  the  Trenton  Association.  The  chairman 
of  the  committee  visited  the  place  in  1865,  suggesting  plans  for  an 
organization  of  the  church  and  the  building  of  a  house  of  worship.  In 
1867,  the  committee  met  in  the  town  and  effected  a  church  organization 
on  September  21st,  1867,  with  ten  members. 

Mr.  N.  B.  H.  Gardner  began  his  labors  as  pastor  in  March  1868 
and  was  ordained.  He  closed  his  pastoral  care  with  January  1869. 
Mr.  Gardner  was  a  mistake  for  that  field.  Rev.  J.  A.  Metz  became 
pastor  in  October  1870  and  resigned  in  1873  in  February.  While 
pastor,  the  first  sanctuary  for  the  church  was  built  in  1871.  On  February 
27th,  1873,  Rev.  A.  J.  Wilcox  settled  as  pastor.  His  stay  was  short, 
resigning  in  August  1874.  A  parsonage  was  bought  in  the  spring  of 
1873  and  sold  in  1878  at  half  of  its  cost.  Rev.  Thomas  Davis  entered 
as  pastor  in  April  1874,  retaining  his  charge  till  1880.  Illness  and  age 
compelled  his  resignation.  The  same  year.  Rev.  A.  Free  was  pastor. 
Next  year,  1881,  the  parsonage  property  was  bought  back;  the  meeting 
house  improved  and  the  cost  paid.  For  the  three  years,  Mr.  Free  had 
been  independent  of  aid  from  the  State  Convention.  Mr.  Free  resigned 
in  1888,  being  pastor  seven  more  years.  It  is  due  here  to  say  that  Mr. 
Mr.  Free  was  not  in  full  accord  with  evangelical  truth.     He  was  an 


TOMS  RIVER  AND  LAKEWOOD  435 

attractive  preacher,  a  pleasant  and  gentlemanly  man,  having  social 
influence  and  a  generous  friend. 

Later,  he  identified  himself  with  New  England  Unitarians.  In 
1889,  Rev.  E.  M.  Ogden  settled  as  pastor.  At  his  coming,  the  spirit- 
ualities of  the  church  revived.  Converts  were  baptized  and  the  preach- 
ing of  Christ  crucified  was  welcomed.  Pastor  Ogden  resigned  in  1892 
and  was  followed  by  Rev.  John  Scott  in  1893.  A  new,  larger  and 
beautiful  church  edifice  was  built  and  was  dedicated  in  1895.  Soon 
after  entrance  to  the  new  meeting  house.  Pastor  Scott  resigned.  He 
had  an  eminently  useful  charge.  All  of  the  interestsof  the  church 
were  brought  into  a  larger  and  higher  life.  In  1895,  Rev.  J.  Y.  Irwin 
entered  the  pastorate.  Within  three  years  the  church  became  inde- 
pendent of  foreign  aid.  Mr.  Irwin  resigned  in  May  1899,  and  Rev. 
H.  B.  Carpenter  became  pastor  in  September  1899.  The  largest 
increase  of  membership  was  in  1894  and  95,  the  last  year  of  Mr.  Scott's 
oversight.  Nine  pastors  have  served  the  church.  Of  them  Mr.  Davis 
remained  till  old  age  and  ill  health  made  it  necessary  to  retire  and  Mr. 
Free  was  the  longest  settled.  An  important  element  in  the  church 
has  been  the  descendants  of  Rev.  A.  O.  S.  Havens.  Two  houses  of 
worship  have  been  built  and  used  by  the  church.  The  first  secured  by 
the  plan  inaugurated  by  the  Trenton  Association,  whereby,  the  Associ- 
ation agreed  to  raise  a  given  sum  for  its  building,  serving  as  a  motive 
to  the  locality  and  to  others  to  insure  its  building. 

The  town  of  Lakewood  was  first  called  Bricksburg,  a  memorial 
name  of  Mr.  Brick,  who  established  the  town.  Mr.  Brick  used  the  "water 
power,"  there  and  as  large  sums  must  be  spent  in  the  enterprise,  work- 
men and  families  made  a  large  to^Ti.  Population  was  also  tending  to 
the  sea  shore  and  to  the  health  imbuing  qualities  of  the  Pines.  Tides 
of  emigration  were  flowing  from  the  north  and  from  the  West.  Vine- 
land,  Asbury  Park  and  Lakewood  were  names  to  conjure  with;  on  these 
tides  many  Baptists  sought  a  home  in  "the  land  of  Promise." 

Orient  church,  four  miles  away,  was  the  nearest  Baptist  church  to 
Lakewood.  Freehold  was  further  off.  Lakewood  was  already  under 
the  surveillance  of  the  committee  and  had  been  visited  by  its  members. 
Pastor  Parmley  found  more  than  twenty  Baptists  in  Lakewood  and 
called  a  conference  of  them.  Pastor  Brown  of  Orient  had  conferences 
with  them  and  on  the  afternoon  of  May  24th,  1868,  a  prayer  meeting 
was  held  and  at  its  close,  Mr.  Brown  preached  and  fifteen  disciples 
constituted  themselves  the  Bricksburg  Baptist  church.  On  the  next 
Lord's  Day,  two  others  were  added  and  Mr.  Brown  baptized  three  aftr 
preaching.  Within  two  months,  the  membership  increased  to  twenty- 
eight  and  at  the  end  of  the  year,  the  church  numbered  forty-two  mem-. 


436  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

bers.  Rev.  George  Johnson  had  found  renewed  health  in  the  place 
and  preached  until  the  coming  of  the  pastor  elect,  Rev.  D.  C.  Litchfield, 
who  was  pastor  two  years.  On  December  11th,  1872,  Rev.  A.  Seargent 
was  called.  He  had  been  a  "free  will  Baptist,"  but  accepting  our  views 
of  church  order,  was  recognized  as  a  Baptist  minister  in  June  1873, 
and  became  pastor.  On  account  of  his  impaired  health,  he  removed 
in  July  1874.  A.  D.  Willifer  took  his  place  for  three  years  from  Septem- 
ber 1st,  1874.  Rev.  George  Johnson,  with  hesitation  accepted  the  call 
of  the  church  and  entered  on  pastoral  duties  on  September  1st,  1877 
and  for  more  than  three  years,  discharged  its  duties.  While  pastor, 
arrangements  were  made  by  aid  of  the  Association  to  buy  the  property 
they  occupied,  having  previously  rented  the  place.  The  name  of  the 
town  was  changed  in  1880  and  that  of  the  church  followed.  After  sup- 
plying the  church,  Mr.  J.  K.  Folwell  was  ordained  in  March  1881,  but 
returned  to  his  studies  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

In  January  1882,  Rev.  E.  Thompson  settled  as  pastor  and  after 
nine  years  of  acceptable  labor,  resigned  in  1891.  He  was  followed 
by  Rev.  W.  H.  Burlew  who  closed  his  labors  in  Lakewood  in  two  years. 
Soon  after,  Rev.  W.  G.  Wedemeyer  entered  on  the  pastoral  care  of  the 
church  and  in  1904,  was  ministering  as  pastor.  In  a  few  years,  a  new 
sanctuary  answering  to  the  changes  in  the  town,  having  become  a  winter 
resort,  was  necessary.  A  large  and  beautiful  church  edifice  was  occu- 
pied, first  in  the  lecture  room  in  November,  1897,  and  in  the  audience 
room  in  March  1898.  The  membership  is  less  than  anticipated.  Bap- 
tists are  not  popular  with  some  classes  of  society.  Very  true,  a  "sect 
everywhere,  spoken  against,"  both  in  the  beginning  and  since.  Lake- 
wood  is  the  second  church,  which  the  missionar\^  committee  of  the 
Trenton  Association  brought  into  existence.  To  it  as  to  many  others 
the  Trenton  Association  gave  not  only  nominal  life,  but  also  pecuniary 
aid  to  get  a  material  habitation.  Lakewood  has  had  nine  pastors, 
if  we  include  the  first  service  of  Pastor  Johnson.  Mr.  Johnson  gave 
the  church  invaluable  aid  both  as  supply  and  as  pastor.  The  people 
loved  him.  Two  houses  of  worship  haA^e  been  in  use  by  the 
church,  one  bought.  The  second  built  in  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Wede- 
meyer. 

After  many  years  of  active  service  in  Iowa,  a  good  and  useful 
minister  realizing  his  strength  and  health  failing,  came  to  New  Jersey 
in  1866  in  the  hope  of  restoration.  With  recovery  to  the  old  time  life, 
came  an  earnest  purpose  to  devote  restored  strength  to  God,  Mr.  I. 
Leonard  settled  in  South  Jersey.  Mr.  Leonard  writes:  "Having  preach- 
ed to  other  denominations  until  the  spring  of  1867,  I  preached  my 
first  sermon  in  Ne\\iield;  the  day  and  month  I  do  not  remember."  In 


NEWFIELD  437 

the  spring  of  1867,  a  school  house  was  built  in  Newfield.  The  congre- 
gationalists  used  it  two  Lord's  days  of  the  month,  the  Methodists  one. 
Three  Baptist  families  lived  in  the  village  and  a  deacon  of  the  congre- 
gationalists  visited  Mr.  Leonard  and  invited  him  to  preach  on  the  fourth 
Lord's  Day. 

This  arrangement  lasted  five  years  and  the  time  had  come  to  organ- 
ize a  Baptist  church  and  to  build  a  meeting  house  for  its  use.  A  church 
was  constituted  in  May  1872,  with  Mr.  Leonard  and  his  family  and 
eleven  members.  A  house  of  worship  was  dedicated  free  from  debt 
in  May  1874.  Mr.  Leonard  was  himself  independent  of  need  of  a 
salary.  He  was  chosen  pastor  and  remained  ten  years  and  if  the  five 
years  of  preparatory  work  is  included  his  entire  service  would  be  fifteen 
years.  His  impaired  health  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  resign  in 
1882.  Rev.  George  Bowman  assumed  the  oversight  the  same  day  on 
which  Mr.  Leonard  retired.  Mr.  Bowman  was  pastor  three  years.  In 
March  1886,  Rev.  D.  Hall  settled  and  closed  his  charge  in  1888.  Rev. 
J.  E.  Keylor  entered  the  pastorate  in  August  1888  and  for  seven  years 
was  efficient  and  useful.  Supplies  ministered  for  several  years  and  in 
this  period  the  meeting  house  was  removed  to  a  better  location  and  was 
enlarged.  In  January,  1897,  Rev.  J.  A.  Crawn  settled  as  pastor  and 
resigned  in  1899.  The  next  February  (1900)  Rev.  George  A.  Sowell 
became  pastor.  Since  his  settlement,  a  parsonage  has  been  built  on  a 
lot,  the  gift  of  Gen.  W.  P.  Edgarton.  Rev.  W.  G.  Robinson  is  now 
pastor  (1904).  The  church  has  had  seven  pastors  and  one  colony, 
Clayton,  has  gone  from  Ne^^eld  in  1889. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 


SEA  VIEW,  SOMERS  POINT  AND  CAPE    MAY  CALVARY. 

Originally,  Sea  View  was  Somers  Point  church.  It  is  published 
as  organized  in  1881,  whereas,  that  is  the  date  of  the  change  of  its  name 
and  of  its  locality  at  Seaview.  Somers  Point  Baptist  church  (now 
Seaview)  was  constituted  in  July  1862.  Previously,  six  Baptists  had 
met  at  the  house  of  William  C.  Yates.  Two  of  them  were  Baptist 
ministers,  Rev.  Thomas  Davis,  pastor  of  Hammonton  Baptist  church. 

At  the  meeting  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Yates,  it  had  been  decided  to 
form  a  branch  of  Hammonton  church  at  Somers  Point.  They  also 
called  a  council  to  meet  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Yates  in  July.  The  council 
met  and  advised  these  Baptists  to  organize  an  independent  Baptist 
church  at  Somers  Point.  This  was  done  then  and  there.  The  con- 
stituents were  six.  Rev.  Thomas  Davis  was  called  to  be  pastoral 
supply,  to  visit  them  once  in  four  weeks.  In  April,  1863,  three  sites 
for  a  meeting  house  in  three  localities  were  offered.  That  at  Bakersville 
was  chosen,  where  afterward,  a  meeting  house  was  built.  Pastor  Davis 
gave  up  his  charge  at  Somers  Point  in  November  1864.  Afterwards, 
a  proposition  was  made  to  move  from  Bakersville  to  Sea  View,  where 
a  chapel  had  been  erected.  Matters  continued  thus  till  1878.  Destitute 
of  preaching,  discouragements  increased.  About  1881,  Rev.  T.  L. 
Bailey,  M.  D.,  visited  the  neighborhood  and  preached  at  Sea  View 
and  again  at  Bakersville.  Again  the  proposition  was  made  to  remove 
the  building  from  Bakersville  to  Sea  View. 

Captain  J.  S.  Endicott  bought  a  lot  there  and  gave  it  to  the  church 
and  the  building  at  Bakersville  was  removed  to  Sea  View  and  reoccupied 
in  May.  Next  year,  in  May  1882,  the  church  changed  its  name  to  Sea 
View.  The  old  name  was  retained  in  the  minutes  until  1888,  and 
although  Dr  Bailey  had  resigned  in  1885,  he  is  reported  as  supply  in 
1889.  The  people  were  loath  to  give  him  up.  Rev.  L.  Morse  became 
pastor  in  April  1885  and  in  January  1886,  opened  a  mission  at  Somers 
Point  and  the  Association  built  a  chapel  there  in  1899.  Mr.  Morse 
resigned  in  about  two  years  and  Rev.  T.  Fuller  is  said  to  have  followed 
Mr.  Bailey.  Rev.  A.  Cauldwell  entered  on  the  charge  of  the  church 
on  February  1st,  1890,  remaining  till  May  1892.  In  July  of  that  year 
Rev.  W.  Percy  accepted  the  call  of  the  church  and  in  1895,  there  was 
a  vacancy  in  the  pastorate,  which  Rev.  A.  E.  Douglass  filled  in  Decem- 
ber 1895.     Student  supplies  ministered  till  Rev.  E.  E.  Tyson  settled  in 


CAPE  MAY  CALVARY  439 

1900.  Sea  View  has  had  nine  pastors.  One  has  been  licensed  to 
preach.  A  colony  has  gone  from  it,  to  constitute  Somers  Point  church. 
Several  houses  have  been  built  for  its  use.  Dr.  Bailey  of  Atlantic  City 
has  been  an  invaluable  aid  to  the  church  as  pastor  twice  and  as  supply 
in  its  need.     Words  fail  to  describe  the  value  of  such  men. 

As  previously  stated,  second  Cape  May  church  had  two  houses  of 
worship,  the  upper  house,  located  at  Littleworth  in  the  upper  precinct 
of  Cape  May  County  and  the  "Lower"  house  at  Townsends  Inlet.  On 
September  5th,  1863,  the  second  Cape  May  Baptist  church  dismissed 
sixty-five  members  to  constitute  a  Baptist  church  at  the  "Lower"  house. 
A  minute  from  the  church  book  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  church  says: 
"On  the  10th  day  of  October  1863,  sixty-five  members  of  the  second 
Cape  May  Baptist  church,  with  three  from  the  Willistown  Baptist 
church,  Pa.,  convened  at  the  lower  house  for  the  purpose  of  organ- 
izing themselves  into  a  church  of  Jesus  Christ.  At  this  meeting  it 
was  decided  to  call  the  church  the  Calvary  Baptist  church  of  Cape  May 
County." 

The  pastors  were:  P.  L.  Davies,  1864-65;  C.  E,  Wilson,  1865-67; 
J.  K.  Manning,  1867-69;  A  parsonage  was  built  in  this  period,  also  a 
new  house  of  worship  at  Dennisville;  J.  M.  Lyon,  1871;  M.  M.  Finch, 
1872-76;  C.  H.  Johnston,  1876-79;  J.  M.Taylor,  1880-83;  W.  Warlow, 
1883-85;  E.  S.  Fitz,  1885-91,  while  pastor  the  house  of  worship  and  the 
parsonage  were  enlarged  and  improved.  E.  S.  Town,  1892;  J.  A. 
Klucker,  1893;  S.  B.  Hiley,  1895-97;  M.  H.  Snodgrass,  1897-1900. 
In  February,  1864,  the  Dennisville  church  disbanded  uniting  with  the 
Calvary  church.  In  1897,  sixty-one  members  of  the  Calvary  church 
applied  for  letters  of  dismission  to  reorganize  at  Dennisville,  naming 
the  new  church,  South  Dennisville.  Mr.  Snodgrass  being  pastor  of 
the  church.  The  Calvary  church  has  had  twelve  pastors,  some  of  whom 
have  been  joint  pastors  of  Calvary  and  of  Dennisville.  South  Dennis 
colonized  from  Calvary  in  1897.  However,  Dennis  and  Dennisville 
and  South  Dennis  originated  as  early  as  1729.  Again  in  1849  and  last 
as  South  Dennis  in  1897.  An  assistance  to  preserve  the  early  Baptist 
history  associated  with  South  Dennis  is  to  be  commended  even  though 
confusion  is  involved  in  the  history  of  the  two  churches.  Independent 
interests  of  both  second  Cape  May  and  some  other  churches  in  Cape 
May  County  are  strangely  mixed.  Calvary  church  however,  is  im- 
planted in  the  earliest  records  of  the  county  as  is  also  that  of  second 
Cape  May.  We  can  easily  believe  that  even  Morgan  Edwards  gave  up 
unravelling  the  entanglement. 

There  is  more  or  less  uncertainty  as  to  the  maternity  of  Goshen 
church.     But  it  is  assigned  usually  to  twenty-five  members  of  Calvary 


440  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

church,  some  to  First  Cape  May  and  others  from  South  Dennis  church. 
Goshen  is  central  to  these  places.  The  church  was  constituted  in  1891. 
Rev.  A.  J.  KUicker  became  pastor  in  March  1892  and  resigned  in  May 
1893.  Two  students,  W.  C.  Cottrell  and  J.  G.  Fryer  supplied  the  church 
for  months.  H.  Craner  entered  the  pastorate  in  January  1898  and 
was  ordained  on  the  next  March  and  closed  his  charge  in  July  1900. 
In  these  years,  the  debt  on  the  church  edifice  was  annually  reduced  and 
such  changes  made  in  it  as  the  church  could  pay  for.  Two  pastors  and 
supplies  have  ministered  to  the  churh. 

In  one  year,  Calvary  church  founded  two  colonies.  Dias  Creek 
is  a  thickly  settled  farming  community,  about  five  miles  below  Goshen 
and  west  of  the  Court  House.  Three  pastors  have  ministered  to  both 
Goshen  and  Dias  Creek,  Klucker,  Fryer  and  Johnson.  Dias  Creek 
was  constituted  with  twenty-six  members  from  Calvary  church,  Cape 
May  County.  Another  pastor  is  said  to  have  been  at  Dias  Creek  in 
1894-95.     It  is  reported  that  he  was  a  bad  man. 

Ocean  City  is  in  the  extreme  northeast  corner  of  Cape  May  county. 
Like  to  Atlantic  City,  it  is  on  an  island.  Railroad  connections  are  from 
the  south,  while  trolley  and  steamer  connect  from  Atlantic  City.  Its 
permanent  population  get  their  living  from  the  sea  and  from  summer 
visitors.  There  is  no  back  country  to  draw  upon.  A  strait,  known 
as  Peck's  Beach,  cuts  off  inland  commerce. 

The  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  January  1898,  with  about 
twenty-four  members.  Within  seven  months,  the  membership  had  more 
than  doubled.  A  pastor  and  colony  came  from  second  Cape  May 
Baptist  church  and  constituted  Ocean  City  church.  Rev.  H.  J.  Roberts 
pastor  of  the  mother  church,  gave  up  an  independent  position  to  take 
a  subordinate  one,  that  of  this  new  church.  A  meeting  house  was 
built  and  paid  for  in  1899  and  dedicated  in  August  of  1899.  Since  its 
organization  the  usual  activities  of  a  Christian  church  are  undertaken 
and  the  church  has  maintained  a  forceful  career,  giving  assurance  of 
being  a  blessing  to  the  community  where  it  is  located.  By  the  middle 
of  1900,  the  membership  had  increased  to  seventy-five.  On  Jul}'  1st, 
1900,  Pastor  Roberts  resigned. 

The  Corson  family  were  active  in  the  origin  and  conduct  of  this 
church.  Their  name  is  among  the  trustees  who  bought  in  1785,  of  the 
sheriff,  the  original  house  probably  built  as  early  as  1750.  Their  name 
is  also  among  the  constituents  of  second  Cape  May  Baptist  church. 
The  "Inlet"  where  the  lower  meeting  house  of  the  second  Cape  May 
church  was  and  which  the  Calvary  church  of  Cape  May  County  cocupied 
was  named  Corsons.  They  had  probably  originally  settled  there  and 
were  Baptists  when  coming  to  America.     Continuing  Baptists,  they 


OCEAN  CITY  441 

were  not  of  the  traasient  sort,  but  impressed  their  convictions  of  Divine 
truth  upon  a  wide  section,  as  genuine  Baptists  invariably  do. 


CHAPTER  L. 


HOPEWELL,  SOUTH  AMBOY,  ROSELLE  AND  DAMAREST. 


It  is  a  misnomer  to  speak  of  Baptists  at  Hopewell,  beginning  in 
187L  For  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  Hopewell  and 
education  have  been  household  words  in  New  Jersey.  Unhappily, 
in  the  antinomian  craze  from  1825  to  1840,  the  venerable  First  Hopewell 
church  was  caught  in  its  snare  and  belied  its  glorious  record  in  edu- 
cation and  missions.  Excepting  First  Middletown  and  Piscataway  and 
Cohansie,  no  Baptist  church  exceeds  it,  in  its  missionary  progeny. 

Hunterdon,  Warren,  Sussex  and  other  counties  attest  the  fruit- 
fulness  of  its  mission  work.  The  minutes  of  the  Central  Association 
of  1834,  Page  3,  item  26,  says:  "Brethren  Wright  and  Stites  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  which  was  referred  the  letters  from  First  and 
Second  Hopewell  churches.  They  reported  and  agreeable  thereto, 
names  of  said  churches  are  dropped  from  our  minutes."  This  was 
the  end  of  more  reports  from  these  churches  of  activity  to  carry  out 
the  last  commission  of  our  ascending  Lord.  In  1825,  Mr.  Boggs,  pastor 
of  First  Hopewell  was  appointed  by  the  New  Jersey  Association,  on  a 
Board  to  carry  on  a  mission  work  and  in  1828,  he  was  stiU  a  member 
of  that  Board.  Pastor  Boggs,  in  his  corresponding  letter,  as  moderator 
of  the  Association  wTote:  "Let  the  Gospel  then  go  forth  as  a  lamp  that 
burneth;  let  us  not  hold  our  peace,  nor  refuse  our  aid  till  the  Gospel 
of  peace  and  salvation  is  preached  to  ever}-  creature  and  shall  spread 
like  the  tide  from  a  mighty  ocean  over  the  whole  world."  Two  years 
after,  1834,  the  church  of  which  he  was  pastor,  First  Hopewell,  with- 
drew from  the  Association  on  account  of  its  missionary,  Sunday  school 
and  temperance  work  and  Mr.  Boggs  went  with  it,  giving  the  lie  to  all 
of  his  past  life.  In  1871,  Rev.  E.  C.  Romaine  visited  Hopewell  and 
preached  on  a  few  succeeding  days.  On  August  23rd,  Baptists  met  at 
the  house  of  Mr.W.O.  Stout  and  decided  to  constitute  a  regular  Baptist 
church  in  Hopewell  and  on  the  next  day, the  24th  of  October,  six  having 
letters  constituted  a  Baptist  church  and  named  it  "The  Calvary  Baptist 
church  of  Hopewell."  Four  of  these  six  names  are  memorial:  Lewis, 
Manning,  William  O.  Stout,  Jerusha  Stout,  M.  Alice  Stout.  Mr.  Mann- 
ing had  been  a  student  under  Mr.  Eaton.  The  three  Stouts  were  descend- 
ants of  the  original  Stouts,  who  had  come  from  Holmdel,  constituents 
in  1715  of  First  Hopewell. 


HOPEWELL  AND  SOUTH  AMBOY  443 

Seven  were  added  to  te  church  on  the  next  day,  the  25th.  Mr. 
Romine  was  pastor  two  years.  Within  six  months,  the  original  six 
had  increased  to  forty-nine.  Twenty-five  of  them  had  been  baptized. 
At  the  next  October  session  of  the  Central  Association,  five  hundred 
dollars  was  subscribed  for  the  purchase  of  lots  and  the  erection  of 
a  meeting  house  in  Hopewell,  which  was  dedicated  in  Decemebr,  1872. 
The  cost  of  the  entire  property  was  six  thousand  dollars.  It  is  best  to 
state  that  aside  from  local  gifts,  additional  funds  were  sent  by  the 
churches  of  the  Association.  Ten  pastors  have  ministered  to  the 
church.  E.  C.  Romain,  1871-73;  A.  V.  Dimock,  1873-76;  A.  J.  Hay, 
1876-79;  H.  B.  Garner,  1879-82;  A.  Hopper,  1882-83;  H.  J.  James,  1884- 
85;  T.  G.  Wright,  1885-89;  D.  S.  Mulhern,  1891-93.  1893  the  parsonage 
was  destroyed  by  fire. 

It  was  rebuilt  and  paid  for  in  1894.  R.  C.  Bower,  1894-98;  L.  A. 
Schnering,  1899-1900.  Two  members  have  been  licensed  to  preach. 
Two  parsonages  have  been  built.  The  trials  of  Calvary,  Hopewell,  are 
peculiar.  Kingwood  survives  by  Baptisttown.  vSecond  Hopewell 
by  Lambertville.  First  Hopewell  is  still  a  strong  church,  many  of  its 
children,  having  imbibed  its  new  and  later  ideas  explain  its  present 
strength.  Nevertheless,  since  its  departure  from  the  Gospel,  the 
children  of  its  members  constitute  the  strength  of  other  denominations; 
they  are  thriving  on  the  wastage  of  First  Hopewell.  Before  being 
Antinomian,  First  Hopewell  was  the  ancestress  of  the  Baptist  churches 
in  Hunterdon  County,  and  of  many  in  Warren  and  in  Sussex  counties. 
Since  being  antinomian  it  has  not  given  life  to  a  church  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  through  its  influence,  as  many  as  six  churches  have  died.  Near  to 
Hopewell,  are  several  large  towns,  wholly  destitute  of  Baptist  churches, 
in  which  we  would  have  been  dominant  had  First  Hopewell  been  true 
to  Christ.  It  is  sorrowful  to  Baptists  to  forecast  the  outcome,  had 
First  HopeweU  been  a  fruitful  vine  as  has  been  Middle  town,  Piscataway, 
Cohansie,  Hightstown,  Pemberton,  Salem,  Cape  May  and  other  Baptist 
churches  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries.  However, 
Calvary  church  lifts  its  standard  high  and  will  yet  occupy  the  region 
round  about  and  if  not  reclaim  the  old  church,  renew  the  messages  of 
Gospel  grace  to  perishing  men. 

Baptists  have  lived  in  South  Amboy  from  early  times.  Baptist 
churches  in  Perth  Amboy,  South  River  and  Jacksonville,  had  members 
there.  Rev.  H.  H.  Rouse  of  Herbertsville  used  to  preach  in  South 
Amboy  from  1860.  Members  of  the  missionary  committee  of  the 
Trenton  Association  made  inquiry  visits  to  the  town  earlier  than  1870, 
with  the  intent  to  found  a  Baptist  church  in  the  place.  Pastors  of 
Middletown  and  of  Holmdel  churches  visited  the   town  in  1870  and 


444  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

decided  to  begin  a  movement  as  soon  as  Toms  River  and  Lakewood 
would  allow. 

On  September  12th,  the  missionary  committee  met  twelve  resi- 
dent Baptists  and  advised  them  to  organize  a  Baptist  church,  and  it 
was  done  then  and  there.  Meetings  were  held  in  private  houses  till 
January  1872,  when  they  were  transferred  to  a  hall.  A  house  of  wor- 
ship was  a  necessity.  The  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad  had  given 
lots  to  the  other  churches,  but  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  being  in  con- 
trol and  the  pastor  at  Holmdel  being  personally  acquainted  with  mem- 
bers of  the  Board  of  the  railroad,  applied  for  a  like  gift  to  the  Baptist 
church.  Compliance  was  cheerfully  made  and  the  last  official  act  of 
its  great  President,  Edgar  Thompson,  before  he  sailed  for  Europe,  where 
he  died  before  returning,  was  to  sign  the  deed  of  a  valuable  and  central 
property  to  the  Baptist  church,  for  its  house  of  worship  and  ample  space 
for  a  parsonage.  Rev.  T.  Snow  became  pastor  November  1st,  1873. 
The  missionary  committee  of  the  Associtaion  gave  to  him,  the  pastor, 
authority  for  the  design  and  cost  of  the  church  edifice  and  they  were 
disappointed  in  both  the  dseign  and  cost  of  the  building  for  which  the 
As.sociation  had  appropriated  a  considerable  sum. 

A  parsonage  was  built  in  1874  and  in  1875,  the  house  of  worship 
was  begun.  It  was  not  ready  for  use,  however,  until  the  in  next  pastor- 
ate in  March  1878.  Mr.  Snow  closed  his  labors  at  South  Amboy  in 
August  1877  and  Mr.  D.  D.  Reed  settled  the  next  December  and  re- 
signed to  take  effect  in  April  1879.  Mr.  Reed's  removal  was  at  the 
instance  of  the  missionary  committee,  his  antecedents  coming  to  their 
knowledge.  Rev.  L.  H.  Copeland  entered  on  the  charge  of  the  church 
in  August  1879,  continuing  till  Februray  1881.  A  few  days  later.  Rev. 
D.  S.  Mulhern  settled  as  pastor.  While  pastor,  the  church  said  of  him: 
"He  was  greatly  beloved."  Under  his  charge,  the  meeting  house  was 
renovated  and  through  a  legacy  left  to  the  church  by  a  member,  Maria 
Capher,  all  debts  were  cancelled.  The  financial  condition  of  the  church 
was  so  much  improved  that  it  relieved  the  Convention  Board  of  further 
annual  appropriations  and  since  has  been  a  self  sustaining  body. 

Both  the  church  and  the  Sunday  school  made  strong  appeals  to 
him  to  remain,  but  without  avail.  On  January  1st,  1886,  Rev.  S.  V. 
Robinson  became  pastor  and  concluded  his  charge  at  South  Amboy  in 
August  1888  and  was  followed  by  J.  H.  Dudley.  To  remedy  the  mal- 
formation of  the  house  of  worship  an  enlargement  was  begun  in  June 
1892,  the  reformation  finished  and  reoccupied  in  June  1893. 
i  ;  Pastor  Dudley  resigned  in  July  1894.  Rev.  E.  B.  Hughes  was 
pastor  until  January  1st,  1895.  Rev.  J.  G.  Dyer  following  and  in  1900, 
was  still  pastor.     Mr.  Dyer  evolved  "ways  and  means,"  to  caT-  el  the 


ROSELLE  AND  DEMAREST  445 

cost  of  remodelling  the  church  edifice.  Virtually  the  church  has  had 
two  houses  of  worship.  The  first  of  temporary  use.  The  rebuilding 
being  in  effect  the  loss  of  the  first  house  at  a  useless  cost.  Eight  pastors 
have  served  the  church,  one  of  them  was  an  unworthy  man.  All  of 
the  others  were  true,  tried  and  good  men.  Mention  must  be  made  of 
Deacons  T.  Burrowes  of  Keyport  and  John  Mount  of  Red  Bank,  as 
having  had  a  large  share  not  only  in  the  success  at  South  Amboy,  but  in 
all  the  enterprises  of  the  missionary  committee  of  the  Trenton  Association 
whereby  it  multiplied  churches.  Further  allusion  will  be  made  to  these 
and  other  men,  whom  God  raised  up  and  gave  to  the  Baptists. 

Roselle  is  a  station  on  the  Central  Railroad,  a  few  miles  west  of 
Elizabeth.  Railroads  build  up  towns  at  their  stations,  chiefly  consisting 
of  the  surplus  population  of  down  town  New  York  business  men.  Thus 
it  was  that  a  Baptist  Sunday  school  was  formed  in  June  1870,  and  at  a 
meeting  in  the  house  of  Mr.  George  Marlor  it  was  agreed  to  meet  on  Sep- 
tember 18th,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  George  H.  Sutton. 

There,  nineteen  Baptists  constituted  themselves  into  the  Roseville 
Baptist  church.  The  place  of  worship  was  first  in  a  hall  of  the  school 
building;  later,  at  other  halls  till  the  house  of  worship  was  ready  for 
use.  On  January  5th,  1873,  Rev.  J.  V.  Stratton  became  pastor.  Ar- 
rangements were  made  on  July  30th,  1874,  to  build  a  house  of  worship, 
which  was  dedicated  June  5th,  1876,  with  an  indebtedness  of  four 
thousand  dollars.  Pastor  Stratton  closed  his  charge  on  January  1st, 
1877.  Rev.  R.  F.  McMichael  followed  on  November  25th,  that  year, 
staying  two  years.  In  September  1879,  Rev.  William  Humpstone 
settled  as  pastor  and  continued  two  years.  November  6th,  1881,  Rev. 
W.  W.  Pratt,  as  supply  and  pastor.  May  1882— December  1882.  In 
March  1885,  Rev.  L.  O.  Grenelle  was  pastor  for  two  years.  Rev.  H.  R. 
Goodchild  was  pastor  from  September  1889  to  May  1895  and  had  a 
happy  and  prosperous  charge.  Supplies  ministered  till  May  1896,  when 
Rev.  J.  Miller  settled.  He  succeeded  in  cancelling  the  debt.  In  1899, 
Rev.  J.  M.  Stiller,  Jr.,  entered  the  pastorate.  Roselle  had  been  hurt 
with  an  expensive  house  and  enormous  debt.  Strength  in  the  pulpit, 
even  though  the  house  is  indifferent,  rarely  fails  to  pay  off  debts  and 
build  fitting  places  of  worship  and  make  the  church  a  helper  in  every 
good  work.  Roselle  has  had  nine  pastors.  Each  has  been  useful  and 
as  happy  as  could  be  anticipated  with  a  church  burdened  with  debt. 

Demarest  Baptists  held  meetings  in  anticipation  and  preparation 
for  the  constitution  of  a  church.  They  met  in  a  hall  in  Englewood  for 
social  worship  in  1872,  having  interest  in  their  mutual  welfare  and 
concern  for  the  "faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints."  The  school  house 
at  Demarest  station  was  agreed  on  as  an  appropriate  place  for  worship 


446  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  the  meetings  were  held  there  from  July  1874.     Rev.  J.  H.  Andrews 
of  Englewood  preached  each  Lord's  Day  morning. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Ralph  Demarest  gave  a  plot  of  ground  for  a 
church  edifice  and  the  building  was  completed  December  13th,  1874 
and  Mr.  Andrews  preached  the  opening  sermon.  The  church  num- 
bered seventeen  constituents.  Eleven  were  from  different  churches 
in  New  York  City  and  six  from  Englewood.  Pastors  in  the  order  of 
their  labors  were:  J.  H.  Andrews,  Jime  to  October  in  1875;  R.  F.  Mc- 
Michael,  1876  and  7;  P.  Gallaher,  1887-92;  supplies,  1892-96;  G.  L.  Ford, 
1896-97;  H.  Coleman,  1897-1900.  The  place  of  worship  was  enlarged 
in  1895.  Mr.  Francis  Ford  in  1898  gave  five  hundred  dollars  to  the 
church.  The  memories  of  Mr.  R.  Demarest,  who  gave  the  ground  for 
the  house  of  worship  and  of  M.  F.  Ford,  who  though  not  a  member  of 
the  church,  valued  its  influence  and  work  and  gave  five  hundred  dollars 
to  advance  its  welfare  are  both  cherished. 


"^^ 


CHAPTER  LI. 


ECHO  LAKE  CIRCLE,  BUTLER  AND  SUMMIT. 

These  churches  are  grouped  as  related  to  one  founder  of  them,  Rev 
Conrad  Vreeland,  and  as  coming  from  Echo  Lake  church.  They  are 
styled  in  the  Association  Minutes:  "The  Echo  Lake  Circle,"  in  all,  nine 
churches.  Mr.  Vreeland  has  been  either  pastor  or  by  employing  assist- 
ant pastors,  supplied  these  churches  with  preaching  and  has  been  their 
financial  support.  He  has  provided  them  with  houses  of  worship  and 
has  supplied  them  with  pastors,  where  he  could  not  himself  minister 
to  them.  It  is  fitting  to  speak  of  Mr.  Vreeland  before  giving  the  record 
of  the  churches.  Mr.  Vreeland  was  born  at  Echo  Lake.  In  early 
manliood  he  moved  to  Brooklyn  and  as  a  contractor  and  real  estate 
broker,  acquired  a  fortune. 

Resident  in  the  city,  when  converted,  he  united  with  the  Strong 
Place  Baptist  church.  The  intelligence  and  force  of  character  that 
developed  a  successful  business  man  under  Divine  influence,  ripened 
him  into  an  earnest  active  Christian.  In  a  mission  of  the  Strong  Place 
church  that  grew  into  the  Tabernacle  church,  Mr.  Vreeland  taught  a 
class  of  young  men.  In  1873,  he  returned  to  his  native  place,  Echo 
Lake.  There,  but  limited  religious  privileges  were  enjoyed.  A  Method- 
ist minister  preached  once  in  two  weeks  in  the  morning  and  a  Presby- 
terian, once  in  two  weeks  in  the  afternoon.  A  ready  to  die  Sunday 
school  was  held.  Calling  an  assembly  of  the  people,  a  Sunday  school 
was  formed  of  which  he  was  superintendent  and  then,  he  had  Baptist 
preaching  in  Echo  Lake. 

In  June  1874,  a  Baptist  church  of  twelve  members  was  organized 
and  in  the  next  November,  a  meeting  house  was  ready  for  the  church. 
Land  and  building  cost  Mr.  Vreeland  five  thousand  dollars.  As  yet, 
he  was  not  in  the  ministry.  It  is  not  needful  to  be  a  preacher  to  win 
souls  to  Christ,  nor  to  found  churches  or  to  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist. 
The  commission  to  the  manrestored  to  spiritual  health  was,  Mark  5: 19, 
"Go  home  to  thy  friends  and  tell  them  what  great  things  God  hath 
done  for  thee,"  is  as  much  ours  as  his.  In  1879,  the  Echo  Lake  church 
said  in  their  letter  to  the  Association:  "We  have  been  greatly  blessed 
in  the  conversion  of  souls  and  in  the  help  received  from  our  pastor,  who 
has  provided  our  place  of  worship." 

Mr.  Vreeland  was  not  limited  to  Echo  Lake.  Six  miles  away  was 
Newfoundland,  where  more  than  sixty  years  before,  in  1804,  a  Baptist 


448  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

church  was.  It  had  had  an  uncertain  life  for  nearly  fifty  years.  But 
in  1850,  disappeared,  save  as  a  few  venerable  men  and  women  tarried 
on  earth.  In  November  1877,  thirty-seven  members  of  Echo  Lake 
church  were  dismissed  to  organize  anew  at  Newfoundland.  Mr.  Vree- 
land  was  called  to  be  pastor  at  Newfoundland  and  was  ordained  at 
the  recognition  of  Newfoundland  church.  At  Newfoundland,  Mr. 
Vreeland  pro\ided  house  of  worship  at  his  own  cost,  also  securing  a 
supply  at  Echo  Lake.  The  pastoral  charge  at  Ne-wfoundland  to  such 
a  man  as  its  pastor  involved  an  exploration  of  its  surroundings. 

About  six  miles  from  it  was  Milton.  It  had  been  the  Post  Office 
of  the  original  Newfoundland  church  there  were  still  living  a  few  of  its 
old  members.  Twelve  were  dismissed  from  Echo  Lake  church  to  unite 
in  the  organizntion  of  the  Milton  church.  The  Milton  church  is  as  yot 
unassociated.  It  has  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Vreeland  or  of  one  of  his 
assistants  At  Milton,  there  was  an  abandoned  Methodist  church 
edifice,  which  Mr.  Vreeland  bought  and  gave  the  use  of  it  to  the  Milton 
church. 

Southeast  of  Echo  Lake,  about  seven  miles  distant,  a  community 
known  as  West  Brook  Valley  existed.  Mr.  Vreeland  visited  the  place 
and  numbers  of  its  people  were  baptized  into  Echo  Lake  church  in  Octo- 
ber 1881.  Twenty-five  members  were  dismissed  from  Echo  Lake 
church  and  constituted  a  West  Brook  Valley  church.  Mr.  Vreeland 
gave  to  them  a  house  of  worship  and  cemetery  and  he  was  eleted  their 
pastor. 

North  of  Echo  Lake,  it  may  be  ten  miles,  Mr.Vreeland  built  a  small 
chapel  in  October  1884.  Nineteen  members  of  Echo  Lake  church  were 
constituted  the  Greenwood  church  of  which  Mr.  Vreeland  was  chosen 
pastor.     The  number  of  constituents  was  really  twenty-one. 

As  early  as  1878,  mission  work  was  done  at  Canisteer.  The  town 
is  about  fifteen  miles  from  Greenwood.  Scores  were  baptized.  Mr. 
Vreeland  bought  a  Methodist  property  of  which  the  Canisteer  church 
has  the  free  use.  The  church  was  constituted  in  November  1885  with 
thirteen  members. 

Manaque  is  a  station  on  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  Rail- 
road. It  is  about  eight  or  ten  miles  from  Echo  Lake.  A  Baptist 
church  was  organized  there  in  1893.  A  furnished  room  was  appointed 
by  Mr.  Vreeland  for  worship.  Later,  a  house  was  bought  by  Mr. 
Vreeland  and  transformed  into  a  fitting  place  for  worship. 

Ogdensburg  is  a  long  distance  from  Echo  Lake.  A  church  was 
constituted  there  in  1877.  It  suffered  divers  adversities  that  utterly 
impaired  its  growth  and  usefulness.  In  1895,  Mr.  Vreeland  was  sent 
for.     An  extensive  revival  broke  out.     The  church  was  reorganized. 


UNION  VALLEY  AND  BUTLER  449 

Mr.  Vreeland  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  accepted.  He  bought  lots, 
built  a  church  edifice  and  parsonage  and  the  church  worships  in  its  new 
home. 

Union  Valley  is  midway  between  Echo  Lake  and  Newfoundland. 
Material  changes  for  the  benefit  of  cities  in  the  vallies,  dispossessed 
several  members  of  Newfoundland  church  and  they  removed.  Mr. 
Vreeland  bought  grounds  there,  moved  a  school  house  on  it  and  put 
it  in  order  for  the  Lord's  Day  worship,  and  service  is  maintained  each 
Lord's  Day.  Thus  under  the  labors  of  Mr.  Vreeland  and  by  the  use 
of  his  wealth,  nine  churches  have  already  been  constituted  and  each  of 
them  has  been  provided  with  a  sanctuary  and  several  of  them  with 
parsonages  at  the  expense  of  Mr.  Vreeland. 

A  houseless  church  necessarily  experiences  great  loss  and  in  due 
time  dies  unless  the  lack  is  met.  The  field  of  Mr.  Vreeland's  labors 
included  several  counties.  Mr.  Vreeland  employed  assistant  pastors 
to  minister  to  these  churches.  The  hardships  of  occupying  these  fields 
will  be  realized  if  it  is  remembered  that  they  were  in  a  mountainous 
and  broken  country;  that  three  services  on  the  Lord's  day  were  under- 
taken by  the  pastors.  That  long  rides  of  from  thirty  to  fifty-five 
miles  through  cold,  snow,  storm,  heat,  day  and  night,  speaking  and 
singing  were  often  necessary. 

Another  like  instance  of  personal  sacrifice  and  of  devotion  occurred 
in  Camden,  New  Jersey.  Deacon  William  J.  Croxey  of  the  First  church 
in  Camden  acquaints  himself  with  needy  fields  and  struggling  churches, 
originates  churches,  assures  the  building  of  houses  of  worship  and 
parsonages.  Such  men  index  religion  to  be  of  the  same  type  as  when 
it  wrought  consecration;  endured  the  fire  of  the  stake,  the  rack  of  the 
wheel,  public  whippings  and  death;  and  no  less  does  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham, Job  and  Daniel  work  in  these  later  generations  the  same  purposes 
as  he  wrought  in  the  lives  of  the  men,  whose  record  he  has  preserved 
for  our  instruction. 

A  spirit  of  scriptural  inquiry  was  awakened  in  1894-95  at  Butler 
among  the  membership  of  the  Reformed  (Dutch),  and  of  the  Presby- 
terian churches  near  Butler,  toiiching  the  order  of  the  ordinances  of 
the  house  of  God.  With  the  usual  result,  conscientious  disciples  found 
the  Scriptures  silent  on  Infant  baptism,  and  insisting  upon  the 
condition  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God  as  a  condition  to  baptism  and 
of  burial  or  immersion  as  the  only  mode  of  baptism.  Not  only  the 
ordinances,  but  the  order  of  the  church  as  the  Saviour  originally  set  it 
up.     These  disciples  were  not  content  with  a  theoretical  faith. 

In  due  time,  they  stood  by  the  "water  side"  in  company  with  a 
Baptist  minister  and  were  buried  with  Christ  in  baptism.  In  1895, 
28 


450  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

these  disciples  decided  to  constitute  a  Baptist  church  in  Butler  and 
ha\Hng  carried  out  their  plan  were  duly  recognized.  A  pastor  was  not 
got  till  July,  1897,  when  Mr.  William  M.  Faux,  first  as  supply  and  th;n 
as  pastor.  Mr.  Faux  was  ordained  June  19th,  1899.  In  November, 
1897,  Mr.  Noble  of  Morristown,  gave  to  the  church  a  large  plot  of 
ground,  on  which  to  build  a  house  of  worship.  On  it  a  church  edifice 
was  built.  In  the  basement  of  the  meeting  house  worship  was  held 
in  1899.     Up  to  1900,  the  membership  had  increased  to  fift^^ 

On  Lord's  Day,  October  3rd,  1875,  Rev.  A.  B.  Woodworth  began 
a  mission  at  Summit.  Preaching  at  Summit  to  a  congregation  of  four- 
teen, Mr.  Woodworth  renewed  his  appointment  and  the  increased 
interest  decided  the  question  of  the  constitution  of  a  Bapist  church. 
Mr.  Woodworth  was  pastor  at  Milburn,  some  distance  away.  On  the  17th 
of  March,  1876,  fifteen  Baptists  united  in  a  covenanted  fellowship  con- 
stituting the  Summit  Baptist  church. 

In  April,  1876,  Mr.  Woodworth  became  pastor,  remaining  till 
December  1878.  Rev.  William  Lawrence  settled  as  pastor  in  February 
1879,  ministering  nearly  two  years  and  had  a  happy  charge.  Rev. 
J.  G.  Noe  followed  remaining  nearly  two  years,  but  ill  health  cut  short 
his  charge  in  Feburary  1883  and  in  the  next  June  he  died.  Rev.  P.  A.  H. 
Kline  entered  the  pastorate  in  May  1883,  continuing  about  three  years. 
Increase  by  baptisms  and  letters  was  enjoyed  under  the  charge  of  Mr. 
Kline.  Since  its  constitution,  the  church  worshipped  in  West  Summit  and 
both  the  influence  of  the  church  as  well  as  the  congregation  was  limited. 
Summit  was  about  a  mile  distant.  The  necessity  of  a  removal  to  Sum- 
mit and  of  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship  there,  was  imperative. 
Lots  were  bought  and  arrangements  made  to  build  at  the  earliest  con- 
venience. The  house  was  completed  and  in  1888  it  was  dedicated. 
Previously,  in  the  fall  of  1886,  a  unanimous  call  was  given  to  Rev.  T.S. 
Griffiths.  He  accepted  the  call  and  in  a  few  months  began  his  work 
at  West  Summit. 

He  remained  but  a  few  months  and  Rev.  Mr.  Giles  ministered  to 
the  church  for  many  months.  After  Mr.  Giles,  Rev.  G.  E.  Horr  was 
pastor  for  about  three  years.  Then  Rev.  N.  B.  Randall  ministered 
as  pastor  for  nearh^  five  years.  An  interval  in  the  pastoral  office  tiU 
November  1898,  when  Rev.  W.  W.  Giles  settled  as  pastor  and  is  now 
(1900)  ministering  to  the  church.  The  records  of  the  church  were  lost 
in  a  fire,  burning  the  house  of  the  clerk  in  1889  and  thus  the  early 
account  of  the  beginnings  of  the  church  is  gathered  from  memory. 
The  first  meeting  house  in  West  Summit  was  used  about  twelve  years. 

The  second  was  erected  in  1888  in  the  village  of  Summit  and  was 
supplanted  by  a  third,  the  ground  for  which  is  bought  and  paid  for  and 


SUMMIT  451 

ten  thousand  dollars  are  in  hand,  with  which  to  commence  its  erection. 
Nine  pastors  have  served  the  church.  A  serious  fact  in  the  past  is 
short  terms  of  pastoral  care.  Permanent  good  seldom  comes  to  churches 
that  soon  tire  of  the  pastor.  The  future  of  the  church,  by  its  removal 
to  Summit  proper  is  hopeful. 


^^ 


CHAPTER  LII. 


WEST  CREEK,  TUCKERTON,  ATLANTIC  CITY, 
PALMYRA  AND  RIVERTON. 

The  West  Creek  church,  second  of  its  name  in  New  Jersey,  is  in 
Ocean  County,  near  to  Little  Egg  Harbor.  It  had  an  Indian  name, 
"Westeconk."  It  is  several  miles  south  of  Manahawken.  The 
origin  of  the  church  was  peculiar.  T.  T.  Price,  M.  D.,  removed  from 
Cape  May  County  to  Tuckerton.  All  of  his  associates  and  associations 
and  family  were  Baptists  and  his  owti  ideas  were  baptistic.  His  marital 
relations  were  with  the  "Friends"  (Quakers).  One  of  their  ministers 
was  induced  to  come  to  Tuckerton.  He  was  an  eminent!)'  spiritual 
man,  as  was  the  family  into  which  Dr.  Price  had  married.  These  in- 
fluences all  led  to  the  Doctor's  conversion.  Sending  for  Rev.  J.  C. 
Hyde,  pastor  of  Cape  Island  Baptist  church,  the  Doctor  was  baptized 
at  Tuckerton  in  1867  and  joined  the  Manahawken  church. 

The  Doctor  was  the  only  Baptist  in  the  vicinity  and  positive  in 
his  comdctions  of  truth  and  duty.  The  Methodist  church  in  West 
Creek  had  built  a  new  house  of  worship  and  the  old  one  was  for  sale. 
At  a  call,  on  a  patient  in  West  Creek,  by  Dr.  Price,  where  several  friends 
met,  the  Doctor  was  asked:  "Wh^^  do  not  you  Baptists  buv  the  old 
Methodist  house?"  Finally,  three  of  the  men  present  bought  the  proper- 
ty for  Baptist  uses.  Rev.  C.  A.  Mott  was  then  pastor  at  Manahawken 
and  it  was  agreed  to  use  the  old  house  and  commence  meetings. 
Mr.  Mott  consehted  to  hold  a  meeting  in  the  old  house,  and  as  a  result 
fifty-eight  were  baptized,  uniting  at  Manahawken  church.  These 
with  Dr.  Price  and  a  Baptist  brother  at  West  Creek,  in  all,  sixty  con- 
stituents were  formed  in  1876  into  the  West  Creek  Baptist  church. 

Pastor  Mott  ministered  to  the  church  until  September  1877,  con- 
jointly with  his  charge  at  Manahawken.  After  Mr.  Mott,  the  pastors 
were:  J.  N.  Craner,  1877-80;  G.  T.  McNair,  1880-85;  W.  K.  Lord,  1885- 
88;  T.  P.  Price,  1888-90,  without  cost,  then  believing  it  best  for  the 
church  to  support  a  pastor,  resigned.  In  his  charge,  a  revival  occurred 
that  included  Tuekcrton.  J.  B.  Sheppard,  1890-94;  J.  A.  MarsteUa, 
1894-96;  A.  O.  Gilmore,  1896-98;  A.  D.  Bennett,  1898-99;  H.  Joorman, 
1899-1900.  Under  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Sheppard  who  lived  in  Tucker- 
ton, a  colony  of  thirty-one  members  of  West  Creek  organized  a  church 
at  Tuckerton  in  1891,     Thereafter,  Mr.  Sheppard  had     joint  pastoral 


TUCKERTON  AND  ATLANTIC  CITY  453 

care  of  both  West  Creek  and  Tuckerton  churches.  His  successors  also 
had  a  like  charge  till  1898.  After  then,  each  church  chose  its  own 
pastor.  Ten  pastors  have  served  the  West  Creek  church.  One  colony, 
Tuckerton,  has  gone  from  it. 

Tuckerton  Baptist  church  sprang  from  West  Creek  Baptist  church, 
a  result  of  a  re^^val  while  Rev.  T.  P.  Price  was  pastor  at  West  Creek. 
Mr.  T.  P.  Price  is  now  pastor  at  Tuckerton.  There  is  a  record  of 
mission  work  done  at  Tuckerton  in  1857.  Rev.  J.  Perry  preached  at 
Tuckerton  more  or  less  frequently  from  1857  to  1860.  Doubtless 
pastors  of  Manahawken,  Cape  May,  Tuckahoe  and  Dividing  Creek 
had  preached  in  these  various  neighborhoods.  While  at  Tuckerton, 
to  baptize  Dr.  Price,  Mr.  Hyde  held  several  meetings.  About  1868, 
Dr.  Price  bought  an  old  Methodist  meeting  house,  paying  his  sub- 
scription to  get  possession  of  it.  Mr.  Hyde  renewed  his  visit  to  Tucker- 
ton in  1869  and  held  a  series  of  meetings  in  this  house. 

Other  subscribers  failed  to  meet  their  payments  and  it  was  necessary 
to  return  the  property  back  to  its  original  owners,  losing  the  Doctor's 
subscripton.  A  correspondent  of  The  Examiner,  of  New  York  City, 
in  1876,  styles  the  building  at  West  Creek  "The  little  Structure."  In 
1888-90,  Rev.  T.  P.  Price  the  only  son  of  Dr.  Price,  though  living  in 
Tuckerton,  was  pastor  at  West  Creek  church.  In  the  revival  at  West 
Creek,  Baptists  were  multiplied  at  Tuckerton  and  beyond  it  toward 
Mathistown,  all  of  which  section  was  held  by  Methodists. 

In  1888,  a  Mr.  McKendless,  a  resident  wholly  secluded  from  Baptist 
influence  inquired  of  the  word  for  "the  way  of  the  Lord."  Realizing 
in  his  studies  that  his  views  were  not  in  accord  with  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  hearing  that  there  were  Baptists  in  Tuckerton,  Mr.  McKend- 
less walked  twelve  miles  to  inquire  about  them.  He  was  referred  to  Dr. 
Price,  whose  son  was  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Tuckerton.  Mr. 
McKendless  was  baptized  by  Rev.  T.  P.  Price,  pastor  at  Tuckerton. 
The  people  built  a  "union  chapel"  at  Mathistown  and  the  mission  was 
called  the  Union  Mission.  The  Tuckerton  Baptist  church  was  con- 
stituted in  1891  an  had  thirty-one  constituents  and  was  an  offshoot 
of  West  Creek  church.  The  West  Creek  and  Tuckerton  churches  had 
pastors  in  common  until  1898.  They  were  J.  B.  Sheppard,  1890-94; 
J.  A.  Marstella,  1894-96;  A.  O.  Gilmore,  1896-98.  Mr.  T.  P.  Price  is 
pastor  at  Tuckerton  "at  his  own  charges." 

Rev.  R.  F.  Young  of  Haddonfield,  had  made  Baptist  interests  at 
Atlantic  City  a  specialty  and  the  missionary  committee  of  the  West 
New  Jersey  Association  say  in  their  report:  (Minute  1881,  Page  14) 
"The  name  of  R.  F.  Young  must  link  itself  with  the  history  of  this 
church  more  than  that  of  any  other  person  as  its  founder.'     On  June 


454  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

29th,  1880,  nineteen  Baptists  living  in  the  towTi  met  and  constituted 
themselves  a  Baptist  church.  Rev.  T.  L.  Bailey,  M.  D.,  who  was 
associated  with  Somers  Point  (now  Sea  View)  it  may  be  a  resident  of 
Atlantic  City,  was  prol)ably  the  happy  instrument  of  their  origin  and 
is  reported  in  1881  as  a  member  at  Atlantic  City.  Mr.  Bailey  ministered 
to  the  church  as  its  supply.  Another  minister.  Rev.  Sidney  Dyer,  was 
intimately  associated  with  the  beginnings  of  the  church  in  Atlantic 
City  and  was  supply  in  1881  and  afterwards  was  pastor.  In  about 
1873,  a  Baptist  in  Philadelphia  offered  to  give  a  lot  in  Atlantic  City  on 
which  to  build  a  Baptist  meeting  house.  Time  passed  and  Mr.  Ford 
died.  Subscriptions  for  the  house  of  worship  had  been  made.  But 
Mr.  Ford  had  not  yet  provided  the  lot  for  it  and  certain  legal  conditions 
prevented  the  executors  from  carrying  out  his  known  intentions,  where- 
upon Mrs.  Ford,  his  widow,  bought  a  lot  at  the  cost  of  twenty-five 
hundred  dollars  and  gave  it  to  the  church  for  their  house  of  worship. 
The  unfinished  church  edifice  was  used  for  worship  and  in  1883,  the 
building  was  completed.  Their  plan  of  paying  for  it  as  the  work  was 
done  proved  a  success.  Pastor  Dyer  on  January  1st,  1885,  closed  his 
charge  of  the  church.  Among  others  whom  he  baptized  into  the  church 
was  Rev.  W.  E.  Boyle  of  the  Methodist  denomination.  Having  been  or- 
dained for  the  Baptist  ministry,  he  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  in  the 
next  March,  1885,  entered  the  pastoral  office.  Rev.  Mr.  Boyle  resigned 
in  January  1891,  anticipating  entering  another  department  of  service. 
But  he  died  in  the  coming  April.  Mr.  T.  J.  Cross  was  invited  to  supply 
the  church  with  the  result  that  he  was  called  and  was  ordained  in  1891. 
Mr.  Cross  closed  his  cljarge  in  November  1899  and  in  March,  1900,  Rev. 
C.  H.  FitzWilliam  became  pastor  and  in  that  year,  1900,  a  parsonage 
was  bought  and  nearly  one  third  of  the  balance  due  on  the  parsonage 
paid.  One  colony  to  organize  a  second  church  was  dismissed  in  1900. 
Four  pastors  have  ministered  to  the  church,  of  whom  Mr.  Cross  remained 
more  than  eight  years.  Mr.  Boyle  six  years,  and  Mr.  Dyer  about  five 
years. 

Bethany  Baptist  church  of  Atlantic  City,  was  a  mission  of  the 
First  church  in  1893.  Its  location  was  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city. 
Weekly  social  meetings;  a  Sunday  school  and  preaching  by  Pastor 
Cross  at  stated  times  attached  a  considerable  working  force  of  mem- 
bers of  the  First  church  to  the  mission.  It  thus  shared  in  the  prosperity 
of  the  mother  body.  Arrangements  were  made  in  1897  to  build  a  chapel 
which  was  in  due  time  completed.  In  1899,  Rev.  S.  K.  Braun  was 
called  to  take  special  charge  of  the  mission.  The  Bethany  church  was 
constituted  early  in  1900,  having  a  membership  of  seventeen.  An 
outgrowth  of  the  mission  work.     Thus  within  twenty  years  of  the 


ATLANTIC  CITY,  RIVERTON  AND  PALMYRA  455 

first  planting  of  Baptist  seed  an  added  church  is  assured.  The  chapel 
built  by  the  First  church  was  erected  on  leased  ground  and  it  was 
necessary  to  build  a  new  house  of  worship.  Measures  are  in  progress 
to  do  this  with  hopeful  success.  Mr.  S.  K.  Braun  was  the  first  pastor, 
and  in  1902  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  E.  Tyson. 

Riverton  and  Palmyra  are  adjoining  towns  on  the  Camden  and 
Amboy  Railroad.  Pleasantness  of  location  on  the  Delaware  river, 
north  of  Camden;  convenience  and  ease  of  travel  and  nearness  to 
Philadelphia  brings  a  numerous  population  of  city  people  to  these 
places.  Among  them,  were  Baptist  families.  Mutual  acquaintance 
inclined  them  to  sustain  social  religious  meetings.  These  increasing 
in  interest  and  in  number,  it  was  necessary  to  hold  them  in  the  school 
house.  Publicity  increased  attendance  and  an  often  suggested  Baptist 
church,  which  ripened  into  effect  on  October  1st,  1885,  when  thirteen 
covenanted  in  fellowship  as  a  Baptist  church. 

At  that  time,  most  of  them  lived  in  Riverton,  since  then,  they 
chiefly  live  in  Palmyra.  In  1887,  they  built  a  good  house  of  worship, 
having  the  conveniences  and  appliances  for  Christian  and  church  work 
of  a  Baptist  meeting  house.  This  church  edifice  was  built  between 
Riverton  and  Palmyra,  was  designed  to  serve  both  places  and  hence 
the  name  of  the  church.  Supplies  were  Messrs.  W.  W.  Ferris,  W.  W, 
Calley,  S.  C.  Dare,  and  others  ministered  to  the  church  until  July,  1886. 
Then,  Rev.  J.  E.  Sagebeer  was  pastor  one  year;  Rev.  D.  T.  Firor  two 
years.  Mr.  C.  S.  Paulson  was  ordained  in  October  1889  and  resigned 
in  1893.  Pastors  Firor  and  Paulson  each  had  useful  pastorates.  In 
1893,  Mr.  J.  D.  Moore  was  ordained  for  the  pastoral  office,  continuing 
in  the  discharge  of  its  duties  for  more  than  four  years.  Rev.  L.  H. 
Copeland  settled  in  the  spring  of  1897  and  held  his  pastoral  trust  in 
1904.  The  church  has  had  a  uniform  and  steady  growth  from  its 
institution.  Beginning  with  thirteen  members  in  1900,  it  reported  a 
membership  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-six.  By  frequent  supplies  the 
church  has  had  nearly  a  continuous  ministry  and  the  pastors  have  been 
four. 


CHAPTER  LIII. 

BAYONNE,  RUTHERFORD,  SECOND  HOBOKEN 
AND  ARLINGTON. 


In  October  1882,  twenty-two  Baptists  in  Bayonne  constituted 
the  First  Baptist  church.  The  membership  was  doubled  in  its  first 
year  and  two  mission  stations  were  established.  Land  for  a  meeting 
house  was  given  by  Mrs.  Mary  E.  SerreU,  who  beside  giving  the  lots, 
collected  four  thousand,  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

Although  worshipping  in  a  "lager  beer  hall"  the  church  prospered. 
At  one  of  the  mission  stations,  a  chapel  was  built  and  paid  for  within 
a  year.  The  Sunday  school  shared  in  the  general  welfare.  A  house 
of  v/orship  was  built  in  1885.  Mr.  Folwell  in  his  three  years'  pastorate 
gave  a  devoted  service.  The  Pastor,  Mr.  Harding,  remained  only  to 
1889  and  in  April  1890,  Rev.  C.  A.  Mott  settled  in  charge  of  the  church, 
closing  his  labors  as  pastor  in  September  1892  and  in  1893,  Rev.  J.  M. 
Jones  entered  as  pastor.  Mr.  Jones  was  soon  found  not  to  be  a  Baptist 
and  surrendered  the  charge  of  the  church  Rev.  T.  C.  Denchfield 
followed  the  next  June  in  1895.  Very  soon  Mr.  Denchfield  won  the 
confidence  and  esteem  of  the  church  and  congregation. 

While  pastor,  the  house  of  worship  underwent  a  thorough  reno- 
vation. Other  mission  stations  were  added  to  those  previously  main- 
tained, affording  room  for  the  activities  of  the  members  of  the  church. 
Mr.  Denchfield  closed  his  charge  at  Bayonne  in  November  1899,  and  Mr. 
Mitchel  Bronk  entered  on  the  oversight  of  the  church  in  due  time  and 
was  pastor  in  1900.  The  Bayonne  church  has  existed  for  eighteen 
years  and  has  had  six  pastors,  one  in  three  years;  all  of  them  very 
short.  The  first,  the  longest  and  very  fruitful  in  the  agencies  insuring 
hopeful  future  growth. 

Early  in  1887,  Baptist  families  in  Bayonne  (Bergen  Point)  under 
the  leadership  of  Mr.  Ira  L.  Beebe,  decided  to  insure  to  themselves  a 
Baptist  church  home  nearer  by  and  among  them.  Accordingly,  ar- 
rangements were  made  for  Lord's  day  worship  and  for  week  evening 
meetings  for  prayer  and  conference.  The  attendance  both  on  Lord's 
day  worship  and  at  the  social  meetings  was  so  cheering  that  these 
Baptists  decided  to  constitute  a  church,  and  on  the  thirtieth  of  Novem- 
ber, 1887,  twenty-two  Baptists  constituted  a  Baptist  church. 

Various   Baptist  ministers  supplied  the  church   tiU  April,    1888. 


BERGEN  POINT  AND  RUTHERFORD  457 

Then  the  Rev.  E.  E.  Maxfield  became  pastor  April  1st.  In  the  one 
year  of  his  charge,  Mr.  Maxfield  did  great  good.  Supplies  ministered 
for  a  year  and  in  May  1890,  Rev.  W.  P.  Drew  settled  as  pastor.  Rev. 
G.  E.  Horr  was  pastor  April  1st,  1892.  About  now,  the  need  of  a  house 
of  worship  could  no  longer  be  overlooked.  Lots  were  purchased  in 
1893,  but  the  house  building  was  delayed  on  account  of  the  uncertainties 
of  the  monied  interests.  Eventually,  it  was  completed  in  April  1896 
and  was  dedicated.  Despite  the  gladness  which  the  consummation 
of  their  hope  and  labor  gave  to  them,  a  great  sorrow  befell  them  and 
turned  songs  into  sighs  and  their  rejoicing  to  tears.  On  January  26th, 
1897,  their  beloved  pastor  died.  After  a  while.  Rev.  William  J.  Scholar 
entered  the  pastorate  in  1897.  He  remained  their  pastor  until  1899 
and  in  February  1900,  Rev.  C.  McGregor  entered  the  pastorate.  The 
church  has  had  five  pastors,  one  of  whom  died  and  who  had  the  longest 
settlement.     One  house  of  worship  only  has  been  in  use. 

Rutherford  is  a  suburban  town  of  New  York  City  in  New  Jersey. 
Convenience  to  the  business  parts  of  New  York  developed  the  place 
and  assures  to  it  an  increase  of  population.  In  1887,  Baptists  found 
each  other  and  preferred  affiliation  with  one  another  to  outsiders  and 
on  October  28th,  1887,  constituted  a  Baptist  church.  It  is  presumed 
that  sixteen  disciples  entered  into  mutual  fellowship.  On  the  same 
day  in  which  they  organized  a  Baptist  church,  a  young  man,  whom 
they  had  invited  to  preach  for  them,  James  Hewitt,  was  ordained. 
He  remained  in  a  pastoral  relation  until  April  1888.  As  he  retired, 
another,  a  student,  was  called  to  fill  the  vacancy,  James  Hastie,  Jr., 
who  as  ordained  June  28th,  1888. 

While  he  was  serving  as  pastor,  lots  were  bought  in  1889  and  five 
thousand  dollars  were  pledged  for  the  house  of  worship.  The  church 
edifice  was  built  and  dedicated  on  January  26th,  1890.  The  next 
pastor  settled  in  November.  Rev.  W.  G.  Mills  settled  as  pastor,  staying 
more  than  a  year  and  closing  his  charge  April  1st,  1892.  Rev.  E.  J. 
Cooper  followed  as  a  supply  tiU  April,  1893,  when  he  was 
called  to  be  pastor  and  remained  to  September  1st,  1896.  The 
church  had  bj^  this  time  tired  of  young  men  and  demanded  an  elder 
man  of  experience  and  acquaintance  with  Baptist  concerns.  Rev. 
W.W.  Case  was  sought  and  found,  and  on  December  13th,  1896,  accepted 
a  call  to  be  pastor.  More  or  less,  impatience  had  found  expression  in 
the  contrasts  of  youth  and  age,  and  maturity  came  to  be  valued  by  the 
membership.  Mr.  Case  answered  all  the  conditions  desired  and  withall 
was  young  enough  to  be  young  in  zeal  and  activity  and  yet  matured 
enough  not  to  mistake  impulse  for  fact  nor  zeal  for  purpose.  In  1899, 
the  debt  for  the  building  of  the  house  of  worship  was  greatly  reduced 


458  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

and  in  1900,  was  wholly  cancelled.  Mr.  Case  was  pastor  in  and  through 
1900  and  enjoyed  assurances  that  his  labors  were  still  appreciated  and 
profitable. 

Second  Hoboken  was  constituted  April  1st,  1890,  with  fourteen 
members.  The  first  and  only  pastor,  Rev.  J.  Campbell ,  has  ministered 
to  the  church  from  the  beginning  and  was  formerly  called  to  be  pastor 
September  2nd,  1890,  and  is,  in  1900,  discharging  the  duties  of  pastor. 
At  its  beginning,  the  church  decided  that  it  should  be  supported  ex- 
clusively by  "free  will  offerings  so  that  fairs,  festivals,  and  entertainment 
of  any  kind  from  which  income  might  be  derived  for  the  church  was 
not  countenanced  and  the  rule  has  never  been  deviated  from.  A  house 
of  worship  was  bought  January  1st,  1898.  Till  then  provision  was  made 
for  public  worship. 

In  the  first  year  of  the  church,  the  membership  increased  threefold, 
nearly  equally  by  baptism  and  by  letter.  In  1894,  the  church  changed 
its  location.  The  next  year,  1895,  a  dispensary  was  established  where 
medicine  and  treatment  could  be  had  without  cost  to  applicants.  Out- 
door meetings  in  suitable  weather  were  also  maintained.  The  church 
seems  to  have  been  organized  as  a  helpful  institutional  church,  as 
a  church  edifice  had  not  yet  been  provided,  but  was  laboring  under 
serious  disadvantages.  In  December  1897,  however,  a  building  was 
bought  and  fitted  for  its  use.  The  debt  was  small  and  in  1899,  valuable 
returns  were  gathered. 

In  1899,  considerable  sums  we  e  collected  to  enlarge  their  place  of 
worship  and  to  add  to  their  means  of  usefulness.  In  due  time,  the 
church  hopes  to  effect  the  objects  at  which  they  aim  as  a  life  saving 
institution  for  both  the  world  that  now  is,  and  for  that  which  is  to  come. 
Pastor  and  people  are  a  unit  in  their  plans  and  aims.  As  already  indi- 
cated, the  church  has  had  but  the  one  pastor,  up  to  1900,  and  with 
their  place  of  worship  secured  to  them  they  aim  at  both  social  and 
spiritual  good. 

Devotional  meetings  began  among  the  Baptists  in  Arlington  in 
December,  1890.  Mutual  interest  and  spiritual  profit  ripened  into  a 
wish  for  a  Baptist  church  and  on  the  last  of  July,  1891,  twenty-four 
Baptists  organized  themselves  into  a  Baptist  church.  Within  a  few 
months,  Christian  activities  added  efficiency  to  the  church  and  converts 
were  soon  gathered.  Two  years  went  by  before  on  August  1st,  1893, 
Rev.  H.  G.  McKean  settled.  A  haU  suitable  for  worship  was  bought 
and  almost  two-thirds  of  its  cost  was  paid. 

Unanimity  and  enterprise  characterized  the  church  and  congre- 
gation. The  church  did  not  compare  with  the  older  and  well-rooted 
churches  in  Arlington.     Lacking  a  spacious  and  beautiful  temple  of 


ARLINGTON  45^ 

worship,  some  Baptists  withheld  their  co-operation  from  the  Baptist 
church.  But  the  members  moved  on  and  unity  grew.  Pastor  McKean 
resigned  on  September  1st,  1895,  and  kept  the  love  and  confidence  of 
his  people  though  removing.  Rev.  H.  W.  Jones  followed,  but  his  stay- 
was  short,  remaining  only  to  July,  1896.  In  the  fall  of  1896,  Rev.  R.  F. 
McMichael  became  pastor.  Measures  had  been  taken  to  erect  a  new- 
house  of  worship  and  in  the  fall  of  1897,  it  was  completed  and  occupied. 
A  fresh  impetus  was  given  to  all  the  interests  of  the  church  by  the  happy 
accomplishment  of  this  enterprise. 

The  membership  steadily  and  uniformly  increased  and  the  con- 
gregations grew  correspondingly.  In  less  than  nine  years,  the  church 
had  become  an  influential  element  in  the  community  and  taken  a  fore- 
most place  as  a  moral  and  Christian  force  in  the  town  for  uplifting 
humanity,  and  a  Divine  agency  to  save  men  "from  the  wrath  to  come." 
Three  pastors  have  ministered  in  the  church.  Their  labors  service 
without  and  in  the  pulpit  have  been  enjoyed.  Two  houses  of  worship 
have  been  in  use.  The  first,  a  hall,  bought  and  paid  for.  The  second, 
a  sanctuary  built  for  Divine  worship. 


^m 


CHAPTER  LIV. 


PEDRICKTOWN,    CLAYTON,    MERCHANTVILLE,    PLEASANT- 
VILLE,  LAUREL  SPRINGS  AND  OTHERS. 

Pedricktown  is  in  the  northwest  part  of  Salem  county,  close  to  the 
line  of  Gloucester  county.  The  Baptist  church  there  originated  from 
a  German  Baptist  mission,  and  was  constituted  in  March,  1888,  with 
thirty  members.  In  the  next  April  Rev.  J.  J.  Berger  was  caUed  to 
be  pastor  and  he  preached  half  the  time  in  German.  A  house  of  wor- 
ship was  soon  after  begun.  It  was  not  finished  for  some  time,  how- 
ever, but  was  dedicated  in  October,  1890.  Mr.  Berger  closed  his 
charge  in  the  year  of  1890  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Stump  in 
April,  1891.  Mr.  Berger's  pastorate  was  short  but  he  was  privileged 
to  enjoy  large  success.  Pastor  Stump  was  pastor  seven  years,  preach- 
ing only  in  English,  resigning  in  1898.  He  was  parted  with  with  pro- 
found regret.  While  pastor,  the  Pennsgrove  church  was  formed  in 
1892,  and  a  full  average  of  prosperity  was  enjoyed.  Mr.  J.  W.  Davis 
was  ordained  in  August,  1898.  Pastor  Davis  was  successful  to  collect 
funds  for  the  payment  of  the  indebtedness  of  the  church,  and 
still  has  care  of  the  church  (1904).  The  immediate  section  is  sparsely 
settled  and  the  outlook  for  growth  and  influence  is  not  brilliant.  Pedrick- 
town  has  had  three  pastors,  each  of  them  eminently  useful.  The  church 
will  probably  reach  many,  who  otherwise  would  be  distant  from  religious 
influences.  One  colony  has  gone  from  Pedricktown  church  and  been 
constituted  the  Pennsgrove  Baptist  church. 

Pastor  Stump  of  Pedricktown,  was  a  supply  and  temporary  pastor 
at  Pennsgrove  in  its  first  year.  Rev.  H.  A.  Dunbar  entered  as  pastor 
in  October  1892.  In  1891,  Pedricktown  church  appointed  a  committee 
to  do  mission  work  in  Pennsgrove.  Next  year,  1892,  a  church  was 
formed  at  Pennsgrove  with  nine  members.  A  lot  for  the  meeting  house 
was  bought  and  paid  for  soon  after  the  church  was  constituted  and 
funds  were  collected  for  the  church  edifice.  Mr.  Dunbar  resigned  in 
1894  and  Rev.  C.  W.  Williams  succeeded  Mr.  Dunbar.  In  1896,  Pastor 
WiUiams  was  followed  by  Mr.  A.  W.  Bennett.  The  house  of  worship 
that  had  been  built  previously;  plans  were  made  in  1897  to  enlarge  it. 
Rev.  W.  G.  Carey  was  pastor  in  1899  and  next  year,  W.  E.  Henry  follow- 
ed. Years  of  1896-97  was  a  period  of  special  blessing.  Scores  were 
baptized  and  added  to  the  church.  Six  pastors  have  ministered  to  the 
church.  There  is  a  town  on  the  Delaware  river  at  Pennsgrove. 
The  church  may  come  to  be  large  and  influential. 


CLAYTON  AND  RICHLAND.  461 

A  colony  of  nine  members  of  Ncwfield  Baptist  church,  inchiding 
Pastor  Leonard,  went  out  and  founded  the  Clayton  Baptist  church 
on  the  16th  of  July,  1889.  On  the  thirtieth  of  that  month,  the  Clayton 
church  was  duly  recognized  as  a  regular  Baptist  church.  Isaac  Leon- 
ard, the  founder  and  the  first  pastor  of  Newfield  church  was  also  the 
first  pastor  of  the  Clayton  church,  but  a  return  of  the  old  sickness  laid 
him  aside  from  his  pastoral  care  and  limited  it  to  four  years.  Mr. 
Leonard  was  now  in  his  eightieth  year. 

A  house  of  worship  was  built  and  dedicated  in  1893.  The  lot 
on  which  it  was  built  was  the  gift  of  the  Moore  Brothers,  with  ako  a 
generous  donation  toward  the  erection  of  the  building.  On  June  1st, 
1894,  Rev.  G.  A.  Sowell  became  pastor,  remaining  two  years.  Happily, 
he  reduced  the  debt  on  the  church  edifice  very  much.  Pastor  E.  G. 
Zweger  ministered  for  one  year,  1896  and  was  followed  by  Mr.  E.  F. 
Francis  in  1897  and  was  ordained  and  remained  apparently  two  years 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Crawn  in  1899,  who  was  pastor  in  1900. 
The  church  has  had  five  pastors,  one  of  whom  remained  four  years  and 
illness  compelled  him  to  retire  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years. 

In  November  1889,  a  Baptist  minister,  Rev.  A.  H.  Stock,  came 
to  Richland  for  the  quiet  he  needed.  Instead  of  quiet,  the  spiritual 
needs  of  the  people  and  the  wish  of  Baptist  families  for  leadership,  in- 
duced him  to  lay  aside  his  purpose  of  rest.  Thus,  a  Baptist  church 
was  constituted  on  February  28th,  1890,  having  six  to  nine  members. 
Lots  were  donated  for  a  house  of  worship  and  Mr.  Stock  became  pastor 
of  the  church  from  its  organization. 

In  1894,  some  wrong  was  found  in  Mr.  Stock;  what,  is  unknown, 
but  it  was  hurtful  to  him  and  to  the  young  church.  Rev.  J.  M.  Lyons 
became  pastor  in  1895.  The  church  edifice  was  completed,  but  the 
business  outlook  of  the  town  was  very  dark.  "Land  sharks"  crippled 
it  is  the  assertion  of  one  who  knows.  Deacon  Coxey  of  the  First 
Baptist  church,  Camden,  expended  one  thousand  dollars  for  the  house 
and  for  supplies.  There  is  not  any  debt  on  the  property.  Pastor  Lyons 
stayed  till  the  house  of  worship  was  finished,  after  whom,  four  students 
of  Crozer  Seminary  supplied  the  church.  Mr.  James  Harvey  rendered 
efficient  aid  to  the  church  in  becoming  pastor  in  1898.  Rev.  George 
A.  Sowell,  pastor  at  Newfield,  preached  at  Richland  on  Lord's  day 
afternoons.  The  parties  which  originated  Richland  were  discouraged 
with  the  future  of  the  place  and  retired  from  its  developcment.  Pastor 
Lyons  of  Richland  preached  at  a  station  on  the  P.  R.  R.  branch  to  Cape 
May  in  1895. 

The  dining  room  of  a  hotel  was  filled  each  Lord's  day  afternoon. 
Later  a  chapel  was  built  and  worship  was  held  there  in  1897,  but  as  at 


4G2  NEW  JERSF.Y  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Richland,  the  "Land  shark"  families  removed  from  the  place.  Deacon 
Coxey  as  at  Richland  took  an  active  part  in  the  mission,  giving  money, 
time,  furniture  and  books.  The  reality  is  on  the  ground,  but  the 
future  is  doubtful.  At  Richland,  there  have  been  three  pastors,  a 
house  of  worship  built  and  a  chapel  at  a  mission  station.  In  a  late 
report,  Richland  church  had  a  membership  of  only  eleven. 

Merchantville  is  four  miles  from  Camden.  Although  out  of  the 
city  limits  the  Baptist  church  in  the  village  is  a  legitimate  child  of 
Camden  Baptists  and  may  be  regarded  as  the  lineal  child  of  the  First 
Baptist  church  of  Camden  through  its  deacon,  William  J.  Coxey. 
Deacon  Coxey  had  come  to  a  conviction  of  what  he  calls  "his  future 
life  work,  organizing  Baptist  churches  and  building  houses  of  worship," 
adding:  "My  first  venture  was  Merchantville." 

Learning  that  there  were  forty  Baptists  in  Merchantville,  he 
visited  some  of  them,  securing  their  co-operation,  started  a  prayer 
meeting  and  occasional  preaching  in  a  hall.  Then,  "I  rented  a  store 
and  dwelling  for  a  year  and  had  preaching  in  the  store  and  used  the 
different  rooms  for  classes."  He  names  Deacon  R.  G.  Scudder  as 
identified  with  the  movement.  Also,  young  men  of  the  First  Baptist 
church  of  Camden  as  having  an  active  past  in  the  enterprise.  A  mission 
was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1899  and  Deacon  Coxey  "pushed  things." 
In  January  1890,  a  Baptist  church  was  formed  with  forty-three  mem- 
bers and  on  the  next  June  an  attractive  house  of  worship  was  dedicated. 
On  that  day,  Mr.  S.  vS.  Merriman  was  ordained.  Deacon  Coxey  had 
given  one  thousand  dollars  for  the  building  of  the  house  of  worship, 
additional  to  five  each  week  for  current  expenses.  The  last  item  Mr. 
Coxey  kept  up  for  several  years.  Mr.  Merriman  resigned  in  1896, 
hav  ing  been  a  useful  and  happj'  pastor  for  six  years.  In  May  of  1896, 
Rev.  M.  N.  Simonds  became  pastor,  which  he  retained  till  March  1900. 
On  the  20th  of  May,  1900,  Rev.  B.  B.  Ware  settled  as  pastor.  Under 
Pastor  Simonds,  the  meeting  house  was  enlarged  and  adapted  in  its 
improvements  to  the  various  work  and  activities  of  the  churches.  The 
outlook  of  the  church  is  wholesome  and  it  bids  fair  to  become  strong  and 
efficient  helper  in  the  various  lines  of  our  denominational  labors.  The 
church  has  had  three  pastors,  each  of  whom  has  been  efficient  and  useful. 

Rev.  A.  Cauldwell  was  pastor  of  Sea  View  Baptist  church  in  1890. 
He  was  not  a  man  to  limit  himself  to  the  field  in  which  he  was,  if  adjacent 
fields  gave  him  opportunity  to  occupy  them.  Pleasantville  was  not 
near  to  him,  but  it  was  a  center  of  many  people  and  a  place  that  Baptists 
ought  to  hold.  Pastor  Cauldwell  decided  to  include  Pleasantville 
in  his  labors.  A  house  of  worship  had  been  enclosed  and  was  used  for 
religious  services  part  of  the  summer. 


PLEASANTVILLE  AND  LAUREL  SPRINGS  4G3 

The  field  was  too  large  and  the  work  too  great  for  one  man,  Ac- 
cordingl}',  the  convention  Board  appointed  J.  K.  Salmon  to  take  Pleas- 
antville  in  the  middle  of  July,  1S9L  Already  the  Camden  Association 
had  asked  its  churches  for  a  given  sum  for  the  erection  of  a  house  of 
worhip  at  Pleasantville  and  in  1891,  renewed  its  request  to  the  churches 
composing  it.  They  promptly  responded  and  the  house  was  com- 
pleted. Mr.  Salmon  effected  an  organization  of  a  Baptist  church  in 
1891  with  a  membership  of  fourteen.  After  Mr.  Salmon,  Rev.  A.  B. 
O'Neal  settled  at  Pleasantville  in  about  a  year,  in  1893.  Mr.  O'Neal 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  B.  Crowell.  His  stay  was  short,  closing 
his  labors  at  Pleasantville  in  September  1894,  much  against  the  wishes 
of  the  people.  Another  short  charge  was  that  of  E.  B.  Waltz,  who  was 
followed  by  Rev.A.E.  Douglass,  settling  as  pastor  in  1895  and  continued 
until  1897,  when  his  entire  time  was  required. 

His  resignation  was  consentd  to,  only  on  his  insistence.  The  next 
June  1899,  Rev.  S.  R.  Stratton  accepted  the  call  of  the  church  and 
1904,  was  pastor.  In  these  few  years,  Pleasantville  church  has  grown 
and  the  hopes  cherished  for  it,  have  been  verified.  Since  its  organization 
not  including  the  labors  of  Pastor  Cauldwell,  seven  pastors  have  labored 
on  the  field  and  they  have  been  valued.  One  house  of  worship,  through 
associational  aid,  has  been  built  for  the  Baptist  church. 

Laurel  Springs  church  was  begun  in  a  farm  house  early  in  April 
1893,  by  arranging  to  form  a  Sunday  school.  Deacons  S.  F.  Rudder- 
row  and  W.  J.  Coxey  of  the  First  Baptist  church,  Camden,  were  at  a 
preliminary  meeting  in  the  home  of  George  M.  Rogers  and  gave  sub- 
stantial aid  to  the  enterprise.  An  organization  of  the  Sunday  school 
was  effected  in  the  home  of  Mr.  E.  Z.  Collins,  but  its  first  session  w^as 
at  the  house  of  Mr.  Rogers.  Social  mid  week  meetings  and  preaching 
were  held  in  the  school  house,  led  by  Rev.  S.  K.  Braun,  who  was  brought 
thither  by  Deacon  Rudderow.  Pastors  Lyell  of  the  First  church,  Cam- 
den and  Russell  of  Lynden  Avenue  church,  also  preached  and  cheered 
the  friends  of  the  enterprise.  Rev.  Mr.  Braun  and  students  of  Crozier 
Seminary  aided  in  sustaining  religious  services  and  thus  they  became 
permanent. 

About  December  1893,  measures  were  adopted  to  build  a  house  of 
worship.  Citizens  and  friends  of  the  mission  moved  in  concert  and  the 
church  edifice  was  completed  in  March  1894.  Eleven  Baptists  repre- 
senting five  churches,  constituted  the  Laurel  Springs  church.  A  call  to 
Mr.  Braun  to  be  pastor  elsewhere,  called  him  away  from  Laurel  Springs 
church,  where  he  had  been  pastor  about  two  years.  Mr.  A.  S.  Kelly, 
a  Crozer  student  followed  as  pastor,  remaining  till  1895.  Rev.  A.  O. 
Gilmore  settled  as  pastor  in  February,  1898,  and  continued  till  1904. 


464  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Since  then,  the  financial  and  spiritual  interests  of  the  church  have 
prospered  under  Mr.  Gihnore's  management.  The  church  edifice  has 
been  refurnished  and  improved.  The  Camden  Association  has  shown 
its  nourishing  quahties  in  affording  aid  to  its  young  churches,  reUeving 
them  of  their  financial  burdens.  Its  annual  sessions  seem  to  be  for 
some  thing  else  than  to  have  a  "good  time." 

Swedesboro  is  a  very  old  town.  Its  name  is  an  index  of  its  original 
settlers.  Swedes  were  an  important  element  of  the  settlers  on  the 
Delaware  river  and  in  South  New  Jersey.  Letters  published  in  1642 
allude  to  Swedesboro  as  a  Swedish  town.  An  inland  town  and  isolated 
from  the  tide  of  emigration,  the  place  depended  for  growth  upon  a 
natural  increase  of  its  residents.  The  religious  predilection  of  the 
settlers  forbid  the  expectation  of  a  Baptist  church.  The  nearest  Bap- 
tist church  was  at  Salem,  which  had  not  been  constituted  for  more  than 
a  hundred  years  after  Swedesboro  had  been  settled. 

Deacon  William  J.  Coxey,  informed  that  Swedesboro  was  lacking 
a  Baptist  church  and  satisfying  himself  of  the  fact,  learned  that  a  hall 
could  be  liad  without  cost  in  summer  and  rented  in  winter,  secured  it 
for  Baptist  use  and  in  May  1890,  engaged  Rev.  Mr.  Davies  of  the  Mullica 
Hill  Baptist  church  to  preach  at  the  town  on  Lord's  day  afternoon. 
A  Sunday  school  was  begun  and  those  of  the  mission  were  cheered 
with  encouragements.  Fire  destroyed  the  hall  in  which  the  meetings 
were  held  with  all  of  the  furniture  of  the  mission.  Worship,  however, 
was  continued  in  another  hall.  In  1891,  two  lots  were  bought  and  a 
contract  made  for  a  house  of  worship  to  be  completed  in  1892. 

The  church  had  been  constituted  in  1890  with  fourteen  members. 
At  that  time,  Mr.  J.  J.  Davis  was  called  to  be  pastor.  Death  removed 
three  of  the  most  active  members  and  others  left  the  village,  reducing 
the  church  to  a  small  number.  Rev.  W.  B.  Dougherty  followed  Mr. 
Da\as  as  pastor.  The  church  has  cost  "Mr.  Coxey  time,  labor,  anxiety 
and  much  money."  He  gave  hundreds  of  dollars  for  the  house  of 
worship,  loaned  four  hundred  doUars  and  gave  that  and  also  one  doUar 
each  week  for  the  pastor's  salary,  furnished  books,  Sunday  school 
supplies,  coal,  wood,  advanced  moneys  for  current  expenses  and  then 
gave  it.  His  gifts  to  this  church  were  at  least  twelve  hundred  dollars. 
Although  the  church  is  small,  it  is  needed,  being  in  a  destitute  section. 
Adverse  influences  hiirder  it,  but  it  upholds  evangelical  truth  and 
maintains  Baptist  views  of  truth  and  of  duty.  The  church  has  had  two 
pastors  and  one  church  edifice. 


CHAPTER  LV. 

HASBROUCK  HEIGHTS,  PHILLIPSBURG,  WESTMONT 
AND  RECENT  CHURCHES. 


In  November  1892,  Rev.  George  B.  Giffin,  living  in  Hackensack, 
a  member  of  tlie  First  Baptist  church,  began  mission  work  on  Hasbrouck 
Heights.  He  visited  Baptist  families  with  the  purpose  of  uniting 
them  in  a  Baptist  church  on  the  Heights.  Social  meetings  for  prayer 
were  appointed  in  the  Reformed  Church  (Dutch)  edifice  on  December 
1st,  1892.  The  movement  had  the  sympathy  and  co-operation  of  the 
First  Baptist  church  of  Hackensack.  In  about  three  weeks  from 
December  1st,  1892,  a  Baptist  church  was  organized  with  twenty-two 
constituents. 

Its  recognition  occurred  in  four  weeks  after  the  first  meeting. 
When  the  church  was  constituted.  Rev.  G.  B.  Griffin  was  called  to  be 
pastor.  Lord's  day  meetings  were  held  in  halls  in  the  town  for  months 
and  additions  were  made  by  baptism  and  by  letter  and  on  January 
1st,  1894,  a  corner  stone  was  laid.  "Special  mention  is  made  of  Rev. 
C.  A.  Cook,  of  First  Bloomfield  Baptist  church  as  rendering  material 
assistance  and  encouragement."  On  February  4th,  1894,  Pastor 
Griffin  resigned,  having  in  the  nearly  two  years  seen  the  organization  of 
a  Baptist  church  edifice  and  the  addition  of  baptized  converts.  Before 
the  close  of  1894,  Rev.  C.  S.  Pease  settled  as  pastor,  remaining  two 
years.     Rev.  A.  L.  Boyle  supplied  the  pulpit  till  January  1st,  1897. 

Then  Rev.  G.  S.  Hunt  became  pastor,  concluding  his  labors  in 
May  1898.  The  next  September,  1898,  Rev.  J.  N.  Folwell  followed, 
resigning  in  May  1900.  In  the  same  month,  Mr.  F.  Richardson  was 
called  and  ministered  through  1900.  The  denominational  predilections 
of  the  community  are  quite  adverse  to  Baptist  ideas  of  church  order 
and  convictions  of  New  Testament  teaching.  Under  such  conditions, 
time  and  knowledge  are  essential  to  the  growth  of  Baptist  ideas  of 
truth  and  duty.  Were  all  Baptists  on  Hasbrouck  Heights  in  entire 
accord,  their  mission  work  would  have  larger  assurance  of  success. 

Phillipsburg  is  a  town  on  the  Delaware  river,  opposite  to  Easton, 
Pa.  It  differs  from  Belvidere  in  that  railroads  have  concentrated  there 
and  have  built  shops  for  repairs  and  construction,  involving  a  resident 
population  of  mechanics  and  of  business  people  and  of  frequent  money 
changes.     Long  before  the  constitution  of  a  Baptist  church,  Baptists 


466  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

lived  in  tiie  town.  Usually,  they  were  members  in  Easton  and  the 
nearness  of  Easton  delayed  the  existence  of  a  church  in  Phillipsburg. 
The  church  originated  with  Baptist  students  in  the  college  in  Easton, 
under  the  lead  of  Mr.  William  E.  Geil  of  Doylestown,  Pa.  Mr.  Geil 
had  marked  for  himself  an  active  assertive  Christian  life  for  Christ  and 
humanity. 

In  1890,  he  was  appointed  by  the  missionary  committee  of  the 
Central  Association  of  New  Jersey,  superintendent  of  the  Phillipsburg 
mission.  In  his  report  to  the  Association  in  1890,  he  sa3's:  "From 
the  first  Sunday  in  November,  1889,  to  the  present,  the  Baptist  Mission 
Sunday  school  of  Phillipsburg  on  each  Lord's  day,  has  had  an  average 
attendance  of  seventy-five.  A  course  of  five  lectures  on  "Etiquette" 
free  to  all,  averaged  an  attendance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Some- 
times many  were  unable  to  get  in  the  room.  Three  months  talks  about 
old  folks  and  the  Bible  averaged  fifty.  Beginning  in  July,  we  had  a 
Sunday  evening  attendance  of  never  less  than  one  hundred.  For 
two  months,  a  free  singing  school  on  Monday  evenings  averaged  an 
attendance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty.  At  the  first  of  the  year,  we  had 
two  weeks  of  special  service;  thirty  were  converted.  Fifteen  joined 
the  Easton  church.  Five  or  more  will  join  here,  if  ever  a  Baptist 
church  is  organized.  We  have  in  bank,  two  hundred  and  forty-one 
dollars.  Two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  dollars  is  ready  when  the  pur- 
chase is  made."     This  is  a  memorable  showing. 

The  missionary  committee  of  the  Central  Association,  reported 
two  hundred  and  eighteen  dollars  in  their  hands,  additional  for  the 
purchase  of  lots.  In  1892,  the  Phillipsburg  mission  had  become  a  church. 
Mr.  Geil  had  graduated  and  was  on  an  evangelical  tour.  Rev.  C.  H 
Salmon  was  called  to  take  his  place.  But  sickness  and  death  closed 
his  work  on  earth.  Mr.  W.  W.  Barker  was  then  called  and  was  ordained 
in  October  1892  and  is  now  (1904)  in  charge.  Thirty-five  Baptists 
constituted  the  church.  Mr.  Barker  is  eminently  fitted  to  the  field, 
showing  force  and  qualities  of  adaptation.  The  Sunday  school  has 
grown  from  seventy-six  to  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven  and  the  mem- 
bership of  the  church  from  thirty-five  to  one  hundred  and  fifty-one 
in  1900,  of  whom  ninety  have  been  baptized. 

A  meeting  house  was  built  in  1895  and  occupied  in  1896.  Phillips- 
burg has  been  favored;  first  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Giel  and  then  being 
a  field  yielding  cheer  and  inspiration  in  its  fruitage,  and 
next  in  Mr.  Giel's  successor,  Mr.  Barker,  thoroughly  in  earnest  and 
competent  to  accomplish  the  largest  results  with  limited  means,  who 
chiefly  realized  that  God  was  his  strength.  This  was  the  third  great 
work  ^.ccomplished  by  the  missionary  committee  of  the  Central  Associ- 


WESTMONT  AND  WINDSOR  467 

ation.  The  Washington  church  edifice  was  built  in  1886.  The  Calvary 
house  of  worship  at  Hopewell  was  assured  in  1871  and  now  the  Phillips- 
burg  mission  was  an  accomplished  success. 

Grace  Baptist  church  at  Westmont,  Camden  County,  was  con- 
stituted in  April  1896.  It  is  a  succession  of  the  Shiloh  Baptist  church 
of  Westmont  that  had  been  organized  in  March  1883,  with  thirteen 
members.  Westmont  is  on  the  road  from  Camden  to  Haddonfield 
and  is  nearer  to  the  latter  place  than  to  Camden.  The  meeting  house 
was  built  in  1883,  costing  twenty-three  hundred  dollars.  The  Shiloh 
church  was  originated  by  Rev.  Thomas  Wilkinson  and  its  house  of 
worship  built  under  the  oversight  of  Pastor  Wilkinson.  He  resided 
in  Westmont.  Shiloh  church  grew  to  have  a  membership  of  thirty- 
five.  It  is  uncertain  about  its  having  a  pastor  other  than  Mr.  Wil- 
kinson. A  feud  in  Shiloh  church  developed  in  its  extinction,  when, 
is  not  written.     Only  seven  members  remained  when  it  disbanded. 

For  many  years  the  house  of  worship  was  a  center  of  Baptist 
missions,  which  in  the  time  of  the  dissolution  of  the  Shiloh  church 
and  the  constituting  of  Grace  church  was  sustained  by  Crozier  students. 
They  did  a  good  work  and  kept  alive  the  Baptist  seed  till  the  Grace 
church  at  Westmont  was  organized  in  April  1896.  On  the  day  in 
which  the  Grace  church  was  recognized,  Mr.  F.  B.  Whitmore  was 
ordained  as  pastor.  May,  1900.  Previously,  students  had  preached 
and  carried  on  the  Grace  church  interests.  In  the  next  July,  Pastor 
Whitmore's  health  compelled  him  to  resign.  Both  the  church  and 
the  community  parted  with  him  with  reluctance.  On  his  removal, 
Mr.  George  H.  Swift  of  Crozer  Seminary  has  had  charge  and 
enjoyed  the  confidence  and  appreciation  of  the  church  and  of 
the  community.  Prospects  are  bright  and  the  future  hopeful.  Grace 
church  was  one  of  the  later  churches  which  Deacon  Coxey  has  aided. 

Those  which  he  has  aided  are:  Merchantville,  Westville  and  New- 
bold,  Swedesboro,  Laurel  Springs,  Berlin,  Magnolia,  Haddon  Heights, 
Mt.  Ephraim,  Liberty  Park,  Richland,  Egg  Harbor,  St.  John 
and  Mt.  Zion;  the  last  two  colored.  He  has  given  to  schools,  four  thou- 
sand books  and  is  now  as  busy  as  he  has  been  in  the  past.  He  is  now 
past  his  seventieth  year,  travels  two  days  in  the  week,  does  the  corres- 
pondence of  the  firm,  audits  all  the  bills;  a  noble  life,  showing  what 
one  can  do,  if  indeed  one  is  disposed. 

In  1897-98,  Rev.  A.  S.  Flock  lived  at  Windsor,  waiting  an  opening 
to  the  pastorate.  The  district  in  which  he  lived,  included  members 
of  several  Baptist  churches,  Hightsto-WTi,  Hamilton  Square  and  Allen- 
town.  Mr.  Flock  was  moved  with  concern  for  a  large  population  sel- 
dom going  to  the  house  of  God,  commenced  religious  meetings  in  a 


468  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

school  house  distant  from  his  home.  They  were  accompanied  with 
tokens  of  Divine  blessing  and  many  were  led  to  the  cross  of  the  Son  of 
God.  Mr.  Flock  included  Windsor  in  his  work.  The  near  by  Baptist 
churches  received  most  of  the  converts;  others  waited  for  a  church  at 
Windsor.  Ground  was  purchased  and  a  beautiful  chapel  was  built, 
wherein  the  church,  when  recognized,  could  worship.  A  Baptist 
church  was  organized  with  thirty-eight  members  in  1898.  Had  all 
Baptists  members  nearer  Windsor  than  to  their  home  church  united 
in  the  fellowship  of  Windsor  church,  it  would  have  been  independent 
of  outside  aid  from  its  beginning,  and  the  Convention  Board  could  have 
appropriated  seven  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars,  since  given  to 
Windsor  church.  Thus,  covetous  Baptists  save  to  waste.  Mr.  Flock 
became  pastor  and  enjoyed  the  prosperity  which  a  newly  formed  church 
anticipates.  In  1901  Mr.  W.  R.  Leckliter  became  pastor  and  con- 
tinued nearly  two  years.  Rev.  A.  Millington  became  pastor  in  the 
spring  of  1904. 

Anglesea  church  is  in  Cape  May  County,  and  originally  is  not  related 
to  any  other  Baptist  church.  Rev.  J.  N.  Craner  was  instrumental  in  its 
constitution  and  was  the  first  pastor  and  the  only  pastor  the  church 
has  had.  Its  origin  corresponds  with  the  Baptist  idea  of  the  originality 
of  churches  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  a  company  of  baptized  believers 
may  be  a  church  and  originate  any  and  all  needful  conditions  of  a  church. 
The  church  was  constituted  in  August,  1898,  with  thirteen  members 
and  was  recognized  as  a  Gospel  church  on  August  9th,  1899.  A  suitable 
house  of  worship  has  been  built  and  is  nearly  paid  for.  The  member- 
ship in  1903  was  twenty-two  and  has  had  only  one  pastor. 

Somers  Point  is  the  site  of  a  second  Baptist  church  of  this  name. 
The  original  Somers  Point  church  moved  to  "Sea  View"  in  1881  and 
took  the  name  of  its  new  location.  In  1886,  Rev.  L.  Morse,  pastor  of 
Sea  View  made  a  mission  at  Somers  Point  from  which  Sea  View  church 
had  removed  only  five  years  before.  A  chapel  was  built  at  Somers 
Point,  by  the  West  New  Jersey  Association,  in  the  year  in  which  Somers 
Point  church  was  constituted.  Mr.  Morse,  pastor  at  Sea  View,  supplied 
Somers  Point  in  1886  and  afterwards.  But  it  seems  that  Rev.  T. 
Fuller  had  also  some  such  relation  to  Somers  Point  church.  The 
Somers  Point  church  was  formed  in  1899,  with  ten  constituents.  Rev. 
E.  E.  Tyson  was  pastor  at  Somers  Point  (1901).  The  pastors  and  sup- 
plies at  Sea  View  have  ever  been  ready  to  minister  at  Somers  Point, 
whenever  needed  at  that  place. 


CHAPTER  LVI. 


GERMAN,  ITALIAN  AND  SWEDISH  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


German  Baptists,  by  E.  Anschutz. 

German  Baptists  in  New  Jersey  began  to  be  in  1839  through  a 
young  Baptist  preacher,  Konrad  A.  Fleischmann,  coming  from  Switzer- 
land to  America  and  began  his  work  in  New  York,  among  his  country- 
men, independent  of  an  organization.  Meeting  with  little  success  in 
New  York,  he  removed  to  Newark,  New  Jersey,  where,  after  months 
of  labor,  he  baptized  three  persons  in  October,  1839.  They 
united  with  an  English  Baptist  church.  These  ten  years  later  with 
other  German  Baptists  constituted  a  German  Baptist  church  in  Newark. 
Mr.  Fleishmann's  stay  in  Newark  was  short,  partly  on  account  of 
persecution  for  the  baptism  of  the  three  converts  and  partly  because  of 
the  large  German  population  in  Pennsylvania,  whither  he  removed, 
preaching  in  Lehigh  and  Lycoming  counties  and  in  a  short  time,  bap- 
tized two  hundred  converts. 

These  united  in  several  places:  Neooming  Grove,  Fairfield  and 
Anthony  under  a  colporter,  F.  Michaelis.  But  their  organization  into 
Baptist  churches  came  later.  Brother  Fleischmann  went  to  Philadelphia 
and  in  1843,  baptized  five  converts  there.  Others  followed,  and  in 
July  a  Baptist  church  was  formed.  This  was  the  first  German  Baptist 
church  formed  in  America  and  consisted  of  nineteen  members.  But 
while  Pennsylvania  claims  this  palm  in  our  German  work.  New  Jersey 
may  claim  the  first  baptism  of  Germans  by  a  German  pastor,  although 
its  organized  work  did  not  begin  until  1849.  New  Jersey  has  now  nine 
regular  German  Baptist  churches  of  which  seven  are  located  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  state,  one  in  Central  Jersey  and  one  in  its  extreme 
south.  Those  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State  have  the  greater  nu- 
merical strength.  But  it  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  North  Jersey 
has  a  vast  German  population,  being  closely  annexed  to  New  York 
City.  Beside  the  seven  churches  in  North  Jersey,  prosperous  missions 
are  carried  on,  which  wiU  in  the  near  future  become  regular  independent 
churches,  adding  to  the  strength  and  fruitfulness  of  the  Baptist  cause 
among  the  Germans. 

Fifty  years  ago,  when  the  Baptist  cause  among  the  Germans  was 
started,  the  German  population  was  small.     Hoboken,  the  most  Ger- 


470  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

man  city  in  the  state  was  little  less  than  a  place  of  recreation  for  New 
Yorkers  and  the  Heights  were  almost  without  inhabitant.  Since  then, 
emigration  brought  about  five  millions  of  Germans  to  our  shores,  and 
the  placing  of  the  great  Atlantic  steamship  lines  in  Hoboken  made 
that  place  a  great  German  center,  but  also  created  the  surrounding 
towns  on  the  height,  Jersey  City  Heights,  West  Hoboken  and  Union 
Hill,  which  now  swarm  with  Germans,  who  also  settled  more  numerous 
in  Newark  and  Paterson,  so  that  Hudson,  Passaic  and  Essex  Counties 
are  the  seats  of  our  most  enterprising  Germans  Baptist  churches 

As  the  German  population  in  these  counties  increased,  so  one 
church  after  another  sprang  up  and  one  mission  after  another  was 
started  and  to-day,  the  stronghold  of  our  German  Baptist  cause  is  in 
this  part  of  the  state.  They  are  not  numerically  very  strong,  but  strong 
as  to  their  influence  and  spiritual  power,  and  this  is  the  characteristic 
of  all  our  German  churches,  throughout  the  land.  They  are  beacon 
lights,  shining  out  the  light  of  the  pure  Gospel  in  communities  of  super- 
stition and  formalism,  scepticism  and  infidelity,  moulding  in  a  strong 
measure  the  religious  sentiment  which  is  an  indirect  result  of  our  Ger- 
man Baptist  churches,  not  to  be  given  in  plain  and  cold  statistics,  but 
nevertheless  a  ripe  fruit  for  the  coming  Kingdom.  W^hat  are  the 
direct  results  of  our  German  work  in  this  state?  We  can  only  briefly 
review  the  history  of  the  churches  and  their  pastors  and  state  the 
gained  success  for  the  denomination.  Small  as  it  may  seem,  it  has 
cost  a  tremendous  effort  and  is  to  be  considered  chiefly  as  hard  pioneer 
work,  encountered  by  many  obstacles.  We  take  up  the  churches  in 
the  order  of  their  organization. 

NEWARK    FIBST  CHURCH. 

As  previously  stated,  the  first  three  converts  among  the  Germans 
in  our  country  to  Baptist  principles  baptized  by  a  German  pastor,  were 
in  Newark  in  1839,  and  although  they  united  with  an  English-speaking 
church,  they  really  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  first  German  Baptist 
church,  which  ten  years  later,  in  1849,  was  organized  with  thirteen 
members,  S.  Kupler  becoming  its  pastor.  He  was  succeeded  by  a  line  of 
German  pastors,  whose  names  have  throughout  a  good  report  with  their 
brethren,  and  taking  the  first  rank  and  one  becoming  the  editor  of  the 
German  publications.  Rev.  J.  C.  Hasselhuhn,  H.  Rumpp,  G.  Ivnobloch 
and  G.  Niebuhr  the  present  pastor.  The  church  has  almost  all  through 
its  later  history  maintained  a  mission  station  somewhere  in  the  city 
and  has  at  present  a  flourishing  mission  under  the  leadership  of  J.  C. 
Reuber,  the  missionary  of  the  church.  The  membership  of  the  church 
is  three  hundred  and  fourteen  and  in  their  two  Sundav  schools  are 


GERMAN   BAPTISTS  471 

gathered  five  hundred  and  fifty  scholars.  The  total  expenditure  of  the 
church  for  all  objects,  home  and  foreign  was  four  thousand  and  thirty- 
two  dollars  and  sixty-seven  cents  during  the  past  year. 

.JERSEY   ciTY   PILGRIM   CHURCH. 

This  church  had  its  origin  by  members  of  the  Second  German 
church  of  New  York  City,  who  took  up  their  abode  on  the  Heights 
across  the  Hudson  and  seeing  their  opportunity  by  the  vast  increase 
of  the  German  population  around  them,  they  organized  the  church  in 
1866,  under  the  leadership  of  H.  Gubelmann,  the  venerable  father  of 
Prof.  J.  S.  Gubelmann  in  Rochester,  who  became  the  first  pastor. 
He  was  succeeded  by  F.  Silvers,  C.  Young,  H.  Groeminger  and  H.  C. 
Baum,  who  closed  his  pastorate  on  April  1st,  1901.  His  successor 
is  Rev.  E.  Berger,  who  took  charge  of  the  church  on  June,  1st,  1901. 
The  church  has  almost  from  its  beginning,  maintained  a  mission  interest 
in  Union  Hill,  out  of  which  grew  the  church  there.  At  times,  the 
mission  was  in  a  more  flourishing  condition  than  the  church  itself. 
The  membership  is  seventy-four.  Sunday  school  scholars,  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five.  Yearly  expenditures  for  all  objects,  eleven 
hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars  and  seven  cents. 

NEWARK   SECOND   CHURCH. 

A  number  of  members  of  the  First  church,  living  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  city  and  seeing  the  growth  of  the  German  population,  organized 
a  church  in  1875.  They  were  served  by  the  following  pastors:  C. 
Kralls,  J.  Jaeger,  F.  Sievers,  W.  Schuff,  A.  Brandt  and  C.  Schenck, 
who  closed  his  pastorate  on  December  1st,  1901.  His  successor  is 
Rev.  G.  R.  Gunther,  who  took  charge  of  the  church  on  April  1st,  1902. 
Their  membership  is  one  hundred  and  four.  The  Sunday  school  has 
one  hundred  and  sixty  scholars  and  their  expenditure  is  eighteen 
hundred  and  fifty-three  dollars  and  thirty-one  cents. 

.TAMESBURG. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  eighties  C.  A.  Schlipf,  then  a  member  of 
the  First  church  in  Newark,  visited  some  members  who  had  removed 
to  that  part  of  the  State,  with  the  object  of  starting  a  German  Baptist 
church  there,  succeeded  and  in  1885,  a  church  could  be  organized. 
The  members  were  mostly  from  the  Hightstown  church.  C.  A. 
Schlipf  became  the  first  pastor  and  was  succeeded  by  H.  C.  Baum, 
E.  Otto  and  F.  G.  Walter,  the  present  pastor.  The  membership  is 
fifty-one.  The  Sunday  school  has  fifty-two  scholars  and  the  total 
expenditure  is  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  dollars  and  seventy-three 
cents. 


4?2  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

UNION    HILL. 

Almost  at  the  same  time,  when  members  of  the  Second  church  of 
New  York  City  removed  to  Jersey  City  Heights,  others  of  the  same 
church  settled  in  Union  Hill.  Meetings  were  started  under  the  direct- 
ion of  the  Pilgrim  Church  and  Union  HiU  became  a  mission  of  that 
church.  In  1888,  they  organized.  Its  first  pastor  was  H.  Bens,  who 
was  followed  by  H.  Groeminger,  L.  Rabe  and  W.  Papenhausen,  who 
closed  his  pastorate  on  September  1st,  1901.  His  successor  is  Rev. 
L.  Rabe,  who  took  charge  of  the  church  on  December  1st,  1901. 
In  1893,  a  mission  was  started  by  the  church  in  Guttenberg, 
which  has  a  flourishing  Sunday  school  and  is  thriving  at  least 
to  become  an  independent  church,  which  greatly  depends  on  the  natural 
development  of  the  place.  The  membership  of  the  church  is  eighty- 
eight;  the  Sunday  school  numbers  190  and  the  total  expenditure  was 
last  year,  eleven  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars  and  seven  cents. 


Members  partly  from  the  First  church  of  New  York  City  and 
partly  from  the  church  of  West  Hoboken,  constituted  the  church  which 
was  organized  in  1891.  Their  first  pastor  was  F.  Knorr.  He  closed 
his  pastorate  on  October  15th,  1901.  His  successor  is  Rev.  G.  Peitsch, 
who  took  charge  of  the  church  on  December  15th,  1901.  Hoboken 
is  chiefly  a  German  city,  mainly  of  the  higher  class  and  is,  there- 
fore, a  hard  field  for  our  German  work,  as  we  generally  have  access  only 
to  the  middle  classes;  still  the  church  is  steadily  moving  forward. 
The  membership  is  seventy-nine.  The  Sunday  school  has  one  hundred 
and  ten  scholars  and  the  total  expenditure  was  thirteen  hundred  and 
sixty-two  dollars  and  twenty-one  cents. 


German  Baptists  from  Brooklyn  and  New  York  City  settled  in 
Passaic  some  ten  years  ago  and  although  small  in  numbers,  organized 
a  church  in  1891.  C.  H.  Schmidt  became  their  first  pastor,  who  was 
succeeded  by  C.  Fielge,  the  present  pastor. 

They  are  maintaining  a  mission  in  Paterson,  but  meet  therewith 
great  obstacles  and  it  is  doubtful  still  whether  a  German  Baptist  interest 
will  ever  permanently  be  established  in  that  city,  which  has  such  a 
large  German  population.  The  membership  of  the  church  (Passaic) 
is  fifty-seven.  In  the  Sunday  school  are  one  hundred  and  ten  scholars. 
The  total  expenditure  is  six  hundred  and  fifty-three  dollars  and  ninety 
cents. 


GERMAN   BAPTISTS  473 

EGG   HARBOR. 

This  church,  in  the  south  of  the  state,  isolated  from  all  other 
churches,  was  a  mission  of  the  First  German  Baptist  church  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  was  organized  in  1893  and  is  a  weak  interest.  J.  Niger 
was  its  first  pastor,  who  was  succeeded  by  J.  Braun,  J.  M.  HoefHin 
and  O.  von  Barchwitz.  Although  a  thoroughly  German  town,  it  is 
shut  off  from  immigration  and  the  church  has  a  hard  struggle  to  become 
English-speaking.  Its  pastor  (1904)  is  J.  T.  Linker.  The  mission  has 
given  to  the  denomination  before  it  became  a  church,  the  first  lady 
missionary  to  the  German  work  in  Miss  M.  Rapp,  who  since  1885, 
under  the  appointment  of  the  Women's  Baptist  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety in  Chicago,  at  the  landing  place  for  emigrants  in  New  York  City. 
The  membership  of  the  church  is  twenty-eight.  The  Sunday  school 
has  thirty-six  scholars  and  the  total  expenditure  was  three  hundred 
and  thirty-six  dollars  and  six  cent-^. 

ELIZABETH    MISSION. 

Recently,  a  German  Baptist  independent  mission  has  been  started 
in  Elizabeth.  Some  years  ago,  mission  work  has  been  done  on  the  field 
by  C.  Schenck,  pastor  of  the  Second  church  of  Newark,  but  nothing 
permanent  could  be  established  at  that  time.  About  sixteen  German 
Baptists  are  living  on  the  field  belonging  to  various  churches  and 
recently,  they  took  courage  and  started  an  independent  mission  work. 
They  have  a  preaching  service  on  the  Lord's  day;  a  Sunday  school 
and  a  weekly  prayer  meeting.  They  have  placed  themselves  under 
the  leadership  of  the  missionary  committee  of  the  German  Atlantic 
Conference,  under  whose  direction,  C.  H.  Schmidt  of  Passaic,  is  supply- 
ing for  them.     The  outlook  is  hopeful  and  encouraging. 

SUMMARY. 

To  sum  up  the  German  Baptist  work:  There  are  nine  churches 
and  several  mission  stations  with  a  membership  of  nine  hundred  and 
fifty;  Sunday  school  scholars,  fourteen  hundred  and  sixty-three  in 
thirteen  schools.  Expending  for  all  objects.  Home  and  Foreign,  the 
sum  of  fourteen  thousand  and  forty-eight  dollars,  and  thirty  cents, 
almost  fifteen  dollars  per  capita.  They  hold  property  to  the  amount 
of  eighty-seven  thousand,  five  hundred  dollars  on  which  is  a  debt  of 
ten  thousand,  four  hundred  dollars.  They  have  ten  pastors  and  mis- 
sionaries and  three  lady  missionaries  under  the  appointment  of  the 
Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  The  churches  report  an 
increase  of  ninety-eight. 

The  Baptist  cause  in  New  Jersey  began  in  1839.  A  young  Baptist 
preacher,   Konrad  A.    Fleischmann  came   from   Switzerland   and  on 


474  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

his  landing  in  New  York,  immediately  begqn  to  work  among  his  country- 
men. Meeting  but  little  success,  he  went  to  Newark,  New  Jersey, 
where,  after  months  of  labor,  he  baptized  three  on  confession  of  their 
faith  in  Christ.  These  were  the  first  Germans  baptized  by  a  German 
pastor  in  this  country.  Then  Mr.  Fleischmann  went  to  Pennsylvania 
and  baptized  two  hundred  converts.  Then  he  went  to  Philadelphia, 
and  in  July,  1843,  organized  a  German  Baptist  church,  with  nine 
constituents.  The  first  German  Baptist  church  was  thus  con- 
stituted in  Philadelphia,  but  the  first  baptism  of  Germans  was 
in  Newark.  We  have  an  executive  force  of  German  Baptists  in  the 
state  to  effect  great  results.  These  churches  are  near  to  New  York 
City,  where  Germans  land  in  this  nation  and  there,  too,  they  are  likely 
to  locate.  Consequently,  much  of  the  work  in  reaching  the  German 
population  must  be  done  in  and  about  New  York  City. 


ITALIAN   BAPTISTS. 


New  Jersey  has  a  large  Italian  population.  The  first  effort  in 
New  Jersey  to  reach  them  with  Baptist  views  was  made  in  Newark 
in  1887.  Members  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  Baptist  church,  at  an  after- 
noon prayer  meeting  were  impressed  with  the  importance  of  mission 
work  being  done  in  a  part  of  the  city  inhabited  by  many  nationalities, 
having  no  religious  provisions.  Out  of  the  prayers  and  discussions 
of  that  meeting,  sprang  the  Garside  Mission,  of  which  Deacon  Theodore 
Beardsley  was  superintendent.  This  was  for  all  nationalities.  The 
place  where  the  mission  held  was  sold  and  the  Mount  Prospect 
church  secured  a  lot  on  Mount  Prospect  avenue  and  built  a  chapel. 
The  Italians  came  in  large  numbers  to  live  in  this  vicinity  and  it  was 
evident  that  a  work  distincly  for  them,  must  be  inaugurated. 

In  March,  1895,  Pastor  F.  C.  A.  Jones  of  the  Mount  Pleasant 
church,  suggested  a  general  meeting  of  Newark  Baptists  in  Peddle 
Memorial  church,  when  it  was  determined  to  carry  forward  the  work 
more  vigorously.  A  committee  of  representatives  from  Baptist  churches 
was  appointed  to  collect  money  and  have  general  charge  of  the  mission. 
Rev.  Alexandro  Dell  Erba  was  secured;  a  Sunday  school  was  organ- 
ized; onepreachng  service  was  held  on  Sunday  and  one  in  the  week. 
Mr.  Dell  Erba  remained  over  a  year.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Angelo 
Di  Dominica,  who  was  a  member  of  the  mission  and  in  it  had  developed 
capacity  for  the  work.  He  has  since  continued  in  charge.  He  has 
been  ordained  and  proved  a  valuable  worker.  At  this  time,  fifty 
converts  have  been  baptized,  uniting  with  the  Mount  Pleasant  church, 
to  which  the  mission  holds  the  relation  of  Branch. 


ITALIAN   BAPTISTS  475 

ORANGE. 

A  mission  was  started  here  by  the  Presbyterians,  but  in  1898, 
they  gave  it  up  and  the  Baptists  took  it.  Rev.  A.  Turnbull,  a  member 
of  North  Orange  church  and  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society,  has  thus  far  been  the  superintendent  and  Rev.  A.  D. 
Domenica  has  been  the  missionary.  He  is  of  Newark.  The  work  here 
has  not  developed  strength. 

In  1899,  Pastor  Domenica  branched  out  in  his  effort  toward  Pater- 
son.  He  supplied  workers  from  the  Newark  mission  in  the  persons  of 
Messrs.  Vincengo  Lomonto  and  Antonio  Di  Domenira,  who  conducted 
service  for  over  a  year  and  a  half  in  the  First  Baptist  house  of  worship, 
Rev.  A.  A.  DeLarme,  pastor;  then  with  the  aid  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  Rev.  B.  Barrechia  was  secured  for  a  year;  several  were  bap- 
tized.    For  some  time  there  has  been  no  missionary  here. 


The  City  Mission  took  hold  of  Italian  work  in  1901  and  secured 
Mr.  Vicengo  Lomonte  as  missionary  and  under  his  care  a  good  be- 
ginning has  been  made.  There  is  great  need  of  a  suitable  building  for 
the  Camden  work. 

PASSAIC. 

Italian  work  was  begun  in  1901,  under  the  auspices  of  the  First 
Baptist  church,  and  there  is  much  to  encourage.  Though  difficulty 
has  been  experienced  in  securing  satisfactory  missionary  workers. 
The  Italian  work  of  the  State  is  in  its  infancy.  The  people  are  here, 
needing  the  Gospel.  The  great  hindrance  to  forward  movement  is 
lack  of  capable  missionaries. 


SWEDISH   BAPTISTS,    (bY  REV.    D.  DEWOLF. ) 

The  first  religious  meeting  of  Swedes  in  New  Jersey  was  at  Arling- 
ton in  a  private  house  on  February  4th,  1883.  At  various  times, 
Baptist  pastors,  and  others  came  here  to  preach.  On  September  8, 
1886,  the  Swedish  union  was  formed  and  occupied  a  lot  of  ground 
donated  to  them.  Internal  dissentions  from  the  diversity  of  the 
denominations  arose.  The  main  trouble  was  the  pre-dominance  of 
Baptists,  who  were  too  strong  for  the  rest.  The  Lutherans  and  the 
Methodist  withdrew  from  the  union  and  the  Baptists  returned  to  them 
money  and  six  per  cent  interest  and  in  return  got  a  clear  deed  for  the 
property.  On  February  3,  1892,  a  meeting  was  held  to  consider  the 
question  of  forming  a  Baptist  church  and  on  the  25th  of  March,  the 
First  Swedish  Baptist  church  was  organized,  with  a  constituency  of 
twenty-four. 


476  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Mr.  M.  Abeleey  began  his  work  on  November  1,  1892.  The  New 
Jersey  Baptist  convention  appropriated  to  his  support,  Arlington  and 
Dover  being  his  field.  He  also  preached  in  Newark,  Plainfield  and 
Montclair  until  in  November  1894.  Rev.  W.  Koheer  was  the  first 
pastor  at  Arlington  on  January  1,  1895.  Under  his  labors,  a  new 
meeting  house  was  built  and  dedicated  October  4th,  1896.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1898,  he  resigned.  Rev.  J.  Visberg  settled  November  9th,  1898. 
The  church  chose  Lapland  in  Sweden  as  its  first  mission  field,  but  dis- 
continued it,  when  they  called  their  own  pastor.  The  condition  of 
Swedish  work  in  Newark  is  described  by  Mr.  William  Abbey,  who 
resumed  his  work  in  Newark,  the  meetings  being  held  in  the  Peddie 
Memorial  house  for  a  short  time.  Circumstances  forced  them  later 
to  rent  a  hall  and  until  November,  1894,  they  were  held  in  a  place  on 
Broad  street,  Newark.  At  this  time,  the  church  in  Arlington  took  up 
the  work  as  a  mission  and  appointed  a  committee  to  lead  the  meetings 
and  the  Sunday  school.  The  small  attendance  however,  made  it 
impossible  to  maintain  the  mission  and  on  the  23rd  of  February,  1897, 
it  was  discontinued.  Many  of  the  former  members  had  removed 
from  Newark  and  although  the  Congregationalists  of  Montclair  and 
New  York  tried  very  hard  to  redeem  the  work  given  up  by  Baptists, 
their  efforts  were  unavailing.  Also  the  New  York  Swedish  Conference 
decided  to  resume  the  work  and  Rev.  A.  Kumcin  was  sent  to  it.  Soon, 
there  after,  on  the  11th  of  December,  the  same  year,  a  church  was 
organized  with  a  membership  of  thirty-five,  of  which  eighteen  came 
from  the  Arlington  church. 

And  although  at  present  without  a  pastor,  we  sincerely  hope  that 
there  will  be  no  more  interruptions  to  the  progress  of  the  church  and 
that  it  will  succeed  in  its  endeavor  to  reach  all  of  the  people  whom  it 
can  interest.  The  work  in  Orange  was  for  many  years  supervised 
by  brethren  from  Brooklyn.  However,  on  22nd  of  January,  1896, 
Rev.  Kohler  began  to  hold  meetings  in  the  North  church,  where  a  room 
was  offered  freely  for  the  work.  He  continued  this  work  up  to  the 
summer  of  1898,  intending  to  resume  it  after  the  hot  weather.  But 
as  he  left  Arlington  in  September,  he  could  not  do  so.  Also,  some  of 
the  Baptists  left  the  place  and  the  work  had  to  be  discontinued.  Two 
pastors  from  Montclair  attempted  to  retrieve  the  fortunes  of  the  church 
but  were  unsuccessful.  At  present,  the  Baptists  of  Orange  are  for  the 
most  part,  members  of  the  Newark  church.  The  ladies  of  the  Baptist 
church  of  Rutherford  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the  State  Convention 
a  request  for  a  Swedish  Baptist  pastor,  inasmuch  as  there  were  so  many 
Swedish  girls  in  town.  In  response,  to  this  request.  Rev.  Kohler 
held  the  first  meeting  there  on  February  28th,  1896.     The  work  inter- 


SWEDE'S    HISTORY  477 

ested  Swedes  from  both  Rutherford  and  Passaic  and  a  few  were  con- 
verted and  baptized  in  Ariington.  The  meetings  were  continued  to 
the  last  Sunday  in  June  1901  ,when  they  had  to  be  discontinued, as  during 
the  summer,  most  of  the  former  participants  moved  away  and  the 
attendance  became  too  small  to  warrant  continuance.  The  work  in 
Montclair  began  about  1892,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Swedish 
church  of  Brooklyn,  which  established  a  Swedish  mission  in  connection 
with  the  Baptist  church  in  Montclair,  from  which  the  Swedes  derived 
great  benefit  for  a  few  years. 

Their  first  pastor  was  Rev.  CI.  Heden,  part  of  whose  support  was 
defrayed  by  the  American  brethren.  In  1891,  an  independent  church 
was  organized  by  the  Swedish  Baptists  and  their  house  of  worship  was 
dedicated  in  August  1902.  From  1890  to  1894,  the  Swedish  church  of 
Brooklyn  labored  to  establish  a  church  in  Elizabeth  and  in  Plainfield. 
But  the  field  lying  principally  among  the  servant  girls,  who  left  Eliza- 
beth soon  thereafter,  they  were  unsuccessful.  The  Congregationalists 
took  up  the  work  later  and  have  churches  there  at  present.     In  Dover, 

where  Rev.  A.  P. ,  from  New  York  had  several  members  of  his 

church,  a  church  was  organized  on  January  1st,  1889,  with  a  member- 
ship of  twelve.  Form  that  time,  the  work  of  the  Baptists  has  been 
uninterrupted  and  in  1895,  they  sustained  their  own  pastor  and  in 
1900,  had  the  great  satisfaction  of  dedicating  their  house  of  worship. 
Rev.  John  V.  Vidberg  is  pastor  of  the  Swedish  church  at  Arlington  and 
has  kindly  furnished  this  record  of  Swedish  Baptists. 


am 


CHAPTER  LVIL 


MISSIONS. 


Missions  have  been  characteristic  of  New  Jersey  Baptists.  The 
Philadelphia  Association  was  constituted  with  five  churches,  three 
in  New  Jersey,  one  in  Delaware  and  one  in  Pennsylvania.  New  Jersey 
gave  up  her  right  to  the  first  place,  and  pastors  and  churches  readily 
assented  to  the  name  as  well  as  to  the  appointments  of  that  A.ssociation. 
Between  17.57  and  1773,  sixteen  years,  as  many  as  seventy-five  assign- 
ments were  made  b}'  the  Philadelphia  Association  of  New  Jersey  pastors 
to  supply  weak  and  destitute  churches.  As  churches  increased  and 
associations  this  ministration,  ceased.  With  the  Carey  era  of  missions, 
our  churches  contributed  thiough  the  English  Baptist  Mission  Society 
not  waiting  for  the  Judson,  Rice  and  Newell  change  to  our  Adews. 

At  the  Convention  for  an  organization  of  the  New  Jersey  Associa- 
tion in  1811, a  recess  was  taken  (Page  8,  Resolution  2,  Min.  1831,  really 
the  origin  of  the  State  Convention  was  in  this  Society,  formed  in  1811. 
Resolution  to  be  incorporated  to  organize  a  New  Jersey  Mission  Society, 
also  to  found  a  school  for  Baptists.)  Both  of  these  objects  were  attained. 
In  1769,  fifteen  churhes  of  the  Philadelphia  Association  were  credited 
with  benevolent  funds.  Eight  of  them  were  in  New  Jersey,  evincing 
the  hold  the  missionary  spirit  had  of  them.  The  part  and  place  of  the 
Baptist  churches  in  the  Philadelphia  Association  is  instanced  at  the 
annual  meetings  in  1778,  79  and  80.  At  the  session  of  1778,  fifteen 
churches  were  represented  and  thirteen  of  them  were  in  New  Jersey. 
In  1779,  ninteen  churches  sent  delegates.  Of  these,  thirteen  were  in 
New  Jerse}'.  In  1780,  twenty-one  were  represented  of  these  fourteen 
were  in  New  Jersey.  Thus  our  churches  were  a  vital  force  in  the 
Philadelphia  Association  and  but  for  them,  the  Association  might  have 
been  extinct.  True,  it  was  the  period  of  the  American  Revolution, 
but  New  Jersey  was  the  highway  of  both  the  English  and  the  American 
armies  and  the  "Tories"  were  a  greater  terror  to  patriots  than  the 
armies.  Yet  at  these  annual  meetings,  delegates  came  from  Sussex 
to  Cape  May.  It  is  a  surprise  that  the  Baptists  in  New  Jersey  had 
not  earlier  established  an  association  in  the  state. 

But  their  circumstances  were  peculiar.  The  division  of  the  State 
into  East  and  West  Jersey,  was  an  almost  inseparable  barrier  to  unity 
in  state  missions.  New  York  gathered  to  itself  the  interests  of  East 
Jersey.     Philadelphia  was  the  center  of  those  of  West  Jersey.     A 


MISSIONS  '  479 

result  was,  that  these  sections  were  wholly  dissimilar.  The  state 
was  named  in  the  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Association  as  the 
"Jersies,"  as  if  two,  not  one.  This  gap  wadened  as  each  were  governed 
from  different  centers.  There  was  nothing,  not  only  to  identify  these 
parts,  but  there  was  a  tendency  to  disintegrate.  Nor  for  more  than 
twenty  years  after,  the  State  Convention  was  formed  was  there  a 
hearty  co-operation  between  East  and  West  Jersey  as  now 
exists. 

It  seems  incredible  that  so  great  patience  and  endurance  was 
necessary  to  effect  the  union  and  concord  now  enjoyed  in  the  work  of 
the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention.  Even  so  late,  as  in  1871, 
the  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Newark,  made  an  effort  in  the 
annual"  meeting  of  that  year  to  dissolve  the  convention  and  trans- 
fer the  mission  work  of  the  Convention  from  it  to  the  Associations. 
An  instance  of  the  hold,  which  local  influences  had  on  individual  minds. 
It  was  this  old  time  inclination  to  division  that  induced  the  writer  to 
urge  "the  present  state  superintendent  of  missions,"  to  make  his  home 
in  Newark,  hoping  thus  to  wield  East  and  West  Jersey  in  the  common 
interests  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Convention.  Rev.  Samuel  Jones 
preached  the  historical  sermon  at  the  Centenary  of  the  Philadelphia 
Association  in  1805. 

He  named  eight  pastors  in  the  mission  work  of  that  body.  Six 
of  them  were  pastors  in  New  Jersey,  Messrs.  Robert  Kelsay,  of  Cohansie; 
Isaac  Eaton,  of  Hopewell;  John  Walton,  of  Morristown;  Isaac  Stelle, 
of  Piscataway;  Benjamin  Miller,  of  Scotch  Plains;  John  Gano,  of  Morris- 
towTi.  Others  were  P.  P.  Van  Horn,  formerly  of  Pemberton  and 
another  in  Maryland.  All  of  these  were  men  of  mark  and  anywhere 
w^ould  have  had  a  foremost  place.  Contrasts  in  denominational  growth ' 
at  different  periods  are  sometimes  drawn  to  the  credit  of  modern  activ- 
ities. Such  estimates  are  not  always  just,  since  we  do  not  know  and 
cannot,  the  conditions  of  earlier  times.  The  missionary  spirit  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  planted  the  seed  which  now  bears  fruit.  We  are 
still  reaping  of  Apostolic  labors.  What  would  the  nineteenth  century 
have  been,  if  there  had  been  no  America  refuge  for  the  wronged  tribes 
of  men?  Or  if  there  had  been  an  America  and  there  had  been  no  "Dec- 
laration of  Independence,"  nor  Baptists  to  get  into  the  constitution 
of  the  nation,  a  guarantee  of  free  speech,  free  conscience  and  the  right 
of  one  to  himself  to  think,  to  speak  and  to  do,  so  long  as  he  shall  not 
molest  or  wrong  another.  This  liberty  is  the  open  sesame  to  the  at- 
tainments of  the  nineteenth  century  in  education,  science,  social  pro- 
gress and  religious  life.  Voltaire,  when  he  predicted  the  extinction  of 
Chritianity  knew  nothing  of  the  might  of  this  inspiration  of  liberty. 


480  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Early  in  1800  three  churches  had  twenty-two  missions,  each  of  whic 
is  now  a  church  of  God  with  a  single  exception. 

Middletown  had  five  meeting  houses  in  her  colonies,  where  large 
congregations  met  and  converts  confessed  the  Christ.  Piscataway 
also,  with  its  lineage  of  Scotch  Plains  and  Morristown  covered  a  terri- 
tory where  are  now  more  than  a  hvmdred  churches.  Cohansie,  Hopewell, 
Hightstown,  Salem,  Pemberton  and  other  churches  nursed  colonies, 
which  in  our  times  would  have  been  constituted  churches  in  their  be- 
ginning. It  was  a  small  day  in  the  sense  of  resources,  but  it  was  a 
great  day  in  the  sense  of  comprehension,  faith  and  performance.  This 
feature  of  a  mature  colonization,  continued  the  order  of  developement 
until  Sunday  schools  became  a  channel  of  our  church  activities  and 
developed  more  intensely,  both  the  faith  and  the  purses  of  our  member- 
ship. As  already  said,  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  Mission  Society  was 
the  first  body  which  proposed  to  do  Baptist  mission  work  in  the  state. 
A  convention  met  at  Hightsto^\-n  December  3rd  and  4th,  1811. 

The  first  minute  of  business  reads:  "On  the  third  of  October 
1811,  while  the  Philadelphia  Association  was  in  session,  the  ministers 
and  messengers  of  most  of  the  churches  in  New  Jersey  members  of 
the  Association,  being  duly  authorized,  by  their  churches,  held  a  con- 
ference on  the  expediency  of  forming  an  Association  in  New  Jersey 
at  which  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  an  address  and  respectful 
request  for  a  dismission  be  presented  to  the  Association.  The  request 
was  presented  and  cordially  complied  with.  It  was  agreed  that  a  con- 
vention for  constituting  an  association  in  New  Jersey  be  held  at  Hights- 
town on  the  first  Tuesday  of  December  following.  The  Baptist  churches 
hereafter  mentioned  convened  accordingly  by  their  delegates  at  Hights- 
town at  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M.,  on  the  day  appointed." 

The  minutes  continue:  I.  An  introductory  sermon  was  delivered 
by  Brother  Sheppard,  of  Salem,  from  I.  Cor  13:13.  II.  Selected 
Brother  Burgiss  Allison,  pastor  of  Jacobstown,  moderator  and  Brother 
Joseph  Sheppard,  Clerk.  III.  Representatives  from  the  following 
churches  appeared: 

Cohansie,  *H.  Smalley,  absent;  A.  German,  J.  Harris. 

First  Cape  May,     *Jenkins  David. 

First  Hopewell,        *John  Boggs,  N.  Stout,  J.  Hunt,  L.  Stout,  J.  Haga- 
man,  170 

Hightstown,  *Peter  Wilson,  T.  Dye,  T.  Allen,  W.  Tindall,  E. 

Chamberlain,  347 

Salem,  *J.  Sheppard,  Eph'm  Shaw,  170 

New  Mills,  (Pemberton)    J.  Carlisle,  Samuel  Jones,  Abel  Watkinson,  118 
Mannahawkin,     *S.    Grey,  63 


MISSIONS  481 

Jacobstown,  *B.  Allison,  72 

Amwell,    (Fleniington) ,        N.   Higgins,   I.   Carr,  79 

Burlington,  *S.   Ustic,  82 

Mount  Holly,         *S.  Bavis 

Evesham  (Marlton)  *Alex.  McGowan,  J.  Evans,  I.  Peacock,  A. Reader,  76 
Trenton  and  Lamberton,  *Wm.  Boswell,  J.  Willings,  100 

*Pastors. 

Ministers,  (visitors):  William  White,  Philadelphia;  Benjamin  Ben- 
nett, Middletown;  D.  Bateman,  Dividing  Creek;  J.  F.  Randolph,  Samp- 
towai;  Robert  Randolph,  New  Jersey. 

When  an  organization  was  complete,  the  first  business  of  the 
Association  was  the  adoption  of  two  items  signifying  their  conception 
of  the  work  demanding  their  organization,  their  prayers  and  their 
money.  I.  Resolved,  That  Brothers  Allison,  Wilson  and  Sheppard  be 
a  committee  to  draft  a  plan  for  a  school.  Under  the  lead  of  Morgan 
Edwards,  the  crime  of  the  removal  of  the  Hopewell  School  to  Rhode 
Island  (now  Brown  University).  This  wretched  blunder,  the  New 
Jersey  Baptists,  since  independent  of  foreign  influences,  have  aimed  to 
amend  in  Hunterdon  and  in  Warren  Counties,  amounting  to  scores  of 
thousands  of  dollars.  Numerous  schools  have  been  located  in  New 
Jersey  and  in  no  other  colony  in  America,  was  there  either  the  wealth 
or  strength  or  liberty  to  found  Baptist  schools  as  in  New  Jersey. 

The  second  item  was  as  distinctive  as  the  first,  when  Baptists 
were  free  from  Foreign  influence.  The  Convention  adopted  the  report 
of  the  committee  appointed  at  the  conference  at  the  Philadelphia 
Association:  "The  Association  having  seen  and  approved  of  the 
plan  of  the  New  Jersey  Mission  Society,  recommend  to  the  ministers 
to  forward  the  views  of  the  Society  in  their  respective  churches." 
The  New  Jersey  Baptist  Mission  Society  formed  in  1811,  maintained 
an  active  missionary  life,  until  the  constitution  of  the  New  Jersey 
Baptist  State  Convention.  Indeed  it  was  the  mother  of  the  State 
Convention  in  1830.  Its  income  in  1812  was  $95.75,  of  which  Cohansie 
church  paid  eighty  seven  dollars  and  twenty-eight  cents.  Rev.  Thos. 
Brooks  was  its  first  missionary  for  three  months.  His  field  was  from 
Mannahawkin  to  Cape  May.  He  was  paid  twenty  dollars  in  advance 
"on  account  of  his  salary."  Rev.  Mr.  Jayne  preached  one  hundred 
and  twenty-nine  sermons  in  three  months.  Brother  Hagan  preached 
seventy-one  sermons  in  three  months.  Brother  Larkin  preached 
twenty-eight  times  in  three  months.  Previous  to  the  organization  of 
this  Society,  there  was  no  concert  by  Baptists  in  New  Jersey  in  home 
work,  since  in  1707,  they  united  in  the  Philadelphia  Association  in 
West  Jersey  and  with  the  New  York  Association  in  East  Jeraey.     But 


482  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

this  concert  grew  until  Baptists  of  Sussex,  Hunterdon,  Monmouth, 
Salem  and  Cape  May  counties  were  identified  with  the  New  Jersey 
Mission  Society. 

The  formation  of  the  Central  Association  in  1828,  greatly  aided 
the  unity  in  progress.  Its  pastors  were  in  full  accord  with  the  society. 
The  numerous  calls  for  aid  proved  onerous  to  its  limited  constituency. 
On  this  account,  in  1823,  the  Association  adopted  the  resolu- 
tion: 

Resolved,  That  it  be  recommended  to  the  churches  to  take  into 
consideration  the  propriety  of  establishing  a  State  Convention. 
Two  years  later  in  1825,  a  Board  was  chosen.  They  were:  Joseph 
Maylin,  Moimt  Holly;  George  AUen,  Burlington;  Joseph  Sheppard, 
Salem;  Henry  SmaUey,  Cohansie;  John  Rogers  and  Samuel  Jones, 
Pemberton;  John  Boggs,  First  Hopewell;  J.  E.  Welsh,  Mount  HoUy; 
Gersham  Mott,  deacon,  Trenton;  Richard  Thomas,  deacon,  Williams- 
burg (Penn's  Neck);  John  Seger,  Hightstown;  J.  M.  ChaUis,  Upper 
Freehold;  Thomas  Larkin,  BordentowTi.  In  1825,  came  a  question 
from  Port  Elizabeth,  Cumberland  County,  asking:  "Would  it  not  be 
practicable  to  form  a  State  Convention?"  Salem  also  asked:  "Is  it 
not  expedient  to  raise  an  Associational  Fund  for  the  purpose  of  assisting 
new  and  small  churches  to  support  pastors  and  to  discharge  debts  on 
their  meeting  houses  for  worship?"  An  inkling  ,  both  of  a  State  Con- 
vention and  of  a  church  edifice  fund,  which  last,  cost  the  meditation 
of  seventy  years  till  the  inquiry  was  answered  in  1895. 

These  "straws"  indicate  the  direction  of  the  thoughts  of  the  work- 
ing and  giving  men  of  that  period.  Especially  might  such  forecasting 
be  expected  of  the  pastor  at  Salem.  Except  two,  the  Board  of  the 
Mission  Society  was  chosen  from  the  North  of  the  Association.  These 
movements  excited  the  attention  of  pastors  and  brethren  in  aU  parts 
of  the  state.  Correspondence  ensued  and  a  meeting  was  arranged 
for,  and  at  Hamilton  Square  on  April  13th,  1830,  to  "confer  about  plans 
for  missionary  operations  in  the  state,"  Pastors  Seger  of  Hightstown; 
Allen  of  Burlington;  Rheese  of  Trenton;  C.  W.  Mulford  of  Woodstown, 
of  the  New  Jersey  Mission  Society,  and  Wilson  of  Pennsylvania  and 
C.  W.  Bartolette  of  Flemington  were  present.  Mr.  Rheese  preached 
from  Matt.  21:28.  Mr.  Seger  was  chosen  President  and  Mr.  Rheese, 
Secre tars'.  "After  discussion  it  was  agreed  to  appoint  a  committee 
to  correspond  with  ministers  and  churches  throughout  the  state  on  the 
subject  of  the  formation  of  a  state  convention  for  missionary  purposes 
and  invite  them  to  meet  with  us  at  Nottingham,  (Hamilton  Square) 
on  the  last  Tuesday  of  July,  at  2  o'clock,  P.  M.  Seven  of  the  ten  churches 
were  identified  with  the  New  Jersey  Mission  Society.       J.  Seger,  G. 


MISSIONS  483 

Allen,  C.  W.  BartoletteandG.  S.  Webb  were  appointed  the  committee 
and  the  meeting  adjourned  to  the  last  Tuesday  of  July." 

The  "us"  in  the  call  to  the  meeting  appointed,  no  doubt  referred 
to  the  Xew  Jersey  Mission  Society.  On  July  27th,  1830,  these  were 
present:  Brethren  Seger*  and  Allen,  Hightstown;  Challis*  and  LaCoste, 
Upper  Freehold;  Bartolette*  and  Barrass*,  Flemington;  G.  S.  Webb* 
and  P.  P.  Runyon,  New  Brunswick;  Lake  and  Hunt,  Sandy  Ridge; 
Rheese,*  Mott  and  Brister,  Trenton;  Hopkins*,  Salem;  Bateman, 
Kingwood;  Stout,*  Lambertville.     (*Ministers.) 

Ten  of  the  eighteen  delegates  were  members  of  the  New  Jersey 
Mission  Society.  Five  of  the  ten  churches  and  all  of  the  Central  Asso- 
ciation, the  only  two  associations  of  New  Jersey,  had  been  identified 
with  the  New  Jersey  Mission  Society  till  the  constituting  of  that  associ- 
ation in  1828.  New  Brunswick  had  likewise  made  itself  felt  as  con- 
cerned for  a  State  Convention.  Mr.  Bateman  preached  from  Mark, 
16:20.  Pastor  Seger  was  made  Chairman  and  Pastor  Rheese,  Secre- 
tary. A  letter  from  Mr.  Dodge  of  Piscataway  was  read,  explain- 
ing his  absence. 

Discu.ssion  followed,  when  it  was  Resolved,  "That  it  is  expedient  for 
this  meeting  to  organize  a  State  Convention  for  missionary  purposes." 
A  constitution  was  adopted  and  an  executive  Board  chosen,  who  were: 
President,  D.  Dodge;  Secretary,  M.  J.  Rheese;  Treasurer,  John  Carr; 
managers,  L.  Fletcher,  Wantage;  C.  Bartolette,  Flemington;  G.  Mott, 
deacon,  Trenton;  J.  Seger,  Hightstown;  J.  Sheppard,  Mount  HoUy; 
C.  J.  Hopkins,  Salem;  D.  Bateman,  Kingwood;  H.  Smalley,  Cohansie; 
G.  Allen,  Burlington;  J.  Challis,  Upper  Freehold;  G.  S.  Webb  and  P.  P. 
Runyan,  New  Brunswick.  Ministering  brethren  present  were:  J. 
Rogers,  Scotch  Plains;  J.  L.  Dagg,  Philadelphia;  David  Jones,  Lower 
Dublin,  Pa.;  P.  L.  Piatt,  Newark,  P.  Simonson,  Catskill;  John  Teasdale, 
Deckerto^\^l. 

The  next  meeting  was  at  Trenton  on  November  2nd  and  3rd,  1830, 
at  2  P.  M.  Seventeen  churches  were  represented  by  twenty-nine 
delegates.  Four  hundred  and  seven  dollars  and  a  fraction  were  re- 
ceived by  the  Treasurer.  In  the  interim,  from  July  to  November, 
the  habit  was  formed  of  supplying  the  Treasurer  with  funds  in  advance, 
and  the  policy  adopted  of  making  the  funds  in  hand  the  basis  of  ap- 
propriations. This  plan  continued  in  force  for  more  than  fifty  years. 
At  this  meeting,  twenty-five  managers  were  chosen,  who  with  the 
officers  constituted  the  Executive  Board.  Mr.  Dodge  was  chosen 
President,  M.  J.  Rheese  Secretary  and  P.  P.  Runyan,  Treasurer.  Mr. 
Dodge  was  president  for  ten  years  successive.  Mr.  Rheese  for  eleven 
years  and  P.  P.  Runyan  was  Treasurer  till  he  died,  forty-one  years, 


484  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

To  Rev.  George  Allen,  we  owe  the  preservation  of  the  early  Baptist 
minutes  of  the  Associations.  John  Rogers  of  Scotch  Plains  preached 
the  first  missionary  sermon,  on  missions,  before  the  New  York  Associ- 
ation by  the  appointment  of  that  body.  P.  P.  Runyan  was  a  constant 
cheer  to  the  missionaries  of  the  Convention  and  an  inspiration  to  the 
Board  to  do  the  largest  and  best  things  for  God.  Deacon  Matthew 
Morrison  of  Woodstown,  is  alluded  to  in  connection  with  the  history  of 
that  church.  J.  C.  Goble  became  an  Apostle  of  antinomianism.  An 
able  man,  had  he  retained  his  faith  in  the  Gospel,  he  would  have 
been  an  influential  man.  In  the  Civil  War,  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Legislature.  By  his  pro-slavery  speeches,  abuse  of  President  Lincoln 
and  parody  of  "All  Hail  the  Power  of  Jesus'  Name,"  he  brought  on 
him.self,  the  contempt  of  decent  people  and  was  a  disgrace. 

The  coming  of  Rev.  G.  S.  Webb  to  New  Brunsiwck  was  a  special 
Providence  to  Baptists  and  to  New  Jersey.  Immediately,  he  set  him- 
self to  overcome  the  alienation  of  East  and  West  Jersey,  and  to  him 
IS  due  our  imity  in  the  State  Convention  and  in  Christian  activities, 
more  than  to  any  other  living  in  East  Jersey  and  member  of  New  York 
Association.  His  location  gave  him  a  positive  influence  with  all  parties. 
Mr.  Webb  was  not  a  great  man  in  the  usual  .sense  of  the  word.  Neither 
had  he  the  educational  training  now  demanded. 

But  he  had  what  is  better  than  brains  or  education,  tact,  good 
hard  "common  sense."  He  knew  how  to  get  on  with  people.  Those 
who  opposed  him  and  did  what  they  could  to  block  his  plans,  came 
at  last  to  adopt  them.  He  was  believed  to  care  more  to  do  well  for 
God,  than  to  please  himself.  Other  good  men  have,  it  may  be  more 
unselfishness  and  piety,  but  few  had  a  combination  of  good  qualities 
and  as  harmonious.  At  the  organiz&tion  of  the  State  Convention  in 
1830,  a  universal  preference  was  to  elect  Mr.  Webb  president.  But 
as  he  told  the  writer,  Mr.  Dodge  was  halting  on  the  edge  of  antinomian- 
ism and  those  who  knew  what  an  extreme  hyper-Calvinist  he  was, 
wonder  that  he  was  not  snared.  Mr.  Webb  knew  that  he  was  too  good 
and  influential  a  man  to  be  lost  to  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  believed 
that  enlisting  him  in  Christian  activities  he  would  be  saved  to  Christian- 
ity, insisted  on  his  being  President.  Mr.  Webb  prevailed,  and  happily 
Mr.  Dodge  lived  a  long  and  useful  life. 

Mr.  Webb  had  a  first  personal  visit  from  Mr.  Jonathan  Going, 
Secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  Society.  When  parting,  Mr.  Going 
said  to  Mr.  Webb:  "I  shall  be  happier  in  Heaven  for  having  met  you 
on  earth."  The  one  defect  of  this  good  man,  was  the  intensity  of  his 
prejudice.  Once  gotten  of  another,  it  staid.  In  1830,  the  Baptist 
churches  of  the  State   were   distributed  in  four  Associations.     The 


MISSIONS  485 

Warwick  and  the  New  York,  each  instituted  in  1791.  The  New  Jersey 
formed  in  1811  and  the  Central  New  Jersey  in  1828.  Later,  the  Sussex 
Association  came  out  of  the  Warwick  Association  in  1833,  the  War- 
wick having  become  an  Antinomian  body.  The  East  New  Jersey 
Association  came  out  of  the  New  York  Association  in  1842.  In  1900, 
there  are  eight  Associations  in  the  State:  Camden,  constituted  in  1888 
Central,  1828;  East,  1842;  Monmouth,  1899;  Morris  and  Essex,  1895; 
North  and  Sussex,  1833;  Trenton,  1865  and  West,  1811. 

Two,  if  not  three  others,  are  likely  to  be  organized  in  this,  the 
twentieth  Centruy.  There  is  also,  an  Afro-American  Association  in 
all  nine  associations.  The  number  of  churches  is  mixed  somewhat. 
Since  several  are  counted  twice.  This  is  also  the  fact  with  the  mem- 
bership. It  may,  however,  be  safely  assumed  that  there  are  about 
fifty  thousand  Baptists  within  the  State.  In  1830,  there  were  fifty-five 
churches  and  a  membership  of  four  thousand  and  twenty.  Neither 
are  these  statements  reliable.  For  the  church  had  numerous  out 
stations,  which  soon  after  took  to  themselves  a  church  name  and  order. 
Events  show  the  wisdom  of  the  men  who  for  many  years  had  anticipated 
the  organization  of  a  state  convention  for  domestic  missions  in  New 
Jersey.  It  seems  incredible  that  there  was  need  of  the  patience  and 
endurance  to  effect  the  concord  which  we  now  enjoy. 

Years  passed  ere  the  fear  that  North  and  East  Jersey  would  re- 
pudiate concert  in  the  State  Convention.  It  is  easy  to  reaUze  what 
would  have  been  the  outcome  had  Pastor  Fish  succeeded  in  his  pro- 
position in  1871.  (Min.  of  Convention,  1871,  Page  7,  Item  31).  The 
discussion  showed  the  real  intent  of  the  plan.  It  was  this  tendency 
that  induced  the  writer  to  urge  the  present  superintendent  to  remove 
to  Newark,  hoping  thus,  by  his  affiliations  to  wield  East  and  South 
Jersey  interests  into  one.  From  1801  to  1840,  forty-five  Baptist 
churches  were  constituted  in  New  Jersey,  not  including  such  as 
have  become  extinct.  Thirty-four  had  been  stations  before  1800.  In 
many  localities,  meeting  houses  had  been  built,  large  congregations 
gathered  and  numerous  Baptist  residents,  lived.  Of  the  churches  in 
New  Jersey  in  1900,  about  sixty  are  Afro-American  churches. 

To  these  may  be  added  the  German,  Swede  and  Italian.  As  many 
as  twenty-five  or  less  have  become  extinct.  About  ten  or  more  went 
off  into  antinomianism  and  perished.  But  two  of  these  remain  and 
one  of  these  would  die,  but  the  other,  living  on  the  past  keeps  it  alive. 
First  Hopewell.  Hyper-Calvinism  in  which  the  pastors  had  indulged, 
bore  fruit  in  the  paralysis  of  the  vital  activities  of  the  Christian  life. 
Fatalism  was  becoming  as  real  as  among  Mohammedans.     Holcombe 


486  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

coming  to  Philadelphia  was  as  providential  as  was  Saul's  conversion. 
A  missionary  era  had  come. 

Persons  and  churches  were  awaking  to  the  consciousness  of  re- 
sponsibility. Holcombe  by  his  sermon  from  Rom.  1:17,  "The  just 
shall  live  by  faith;"  asserting  "the  attainableness  of  faith,"  broke  the 
chain  by  which  the  door  of  salvation  had  been  almost  closed  and  the 
door  was  swung  open  at  the  widest.  But  at  his  personal  cost.  All 
the  forces  of  Hyper-Calvinism  were  arrayed  under  the  lead  of  the 
jealous  W.  H.  Staughton  against  him  to  destroy  him.  Mr.  Staughton 
saw  in  Holcombe,a  master,  a  man  not  to  be  cajoled.  From  the  preach- 
ing of  this  sermon  began  a  new  conception  of  duty  to  the  world.  It 
grew  upon  the  churches.  Pastor  Holcombe  was  sent  for  here  and 
there  and  preached  the  good  news  of  the  Gospel  in  "Him  that  cometh 
unto  Me,  I  will  in  nowise  cast  out."  The  New  Jersey  Convention  does 
not  include  all  of  the  local  work  done  in  the  state.  Neither  do  the 
conventions  of  other  state.  Churches  build  chapels  and  houses  of 
worship,  sustain  mission  Sunday  schools  and  employ  assistant  pastors 
to  carry  on  their  varied  work. 

Missions  ripened  into  churches  and  these  are  included  as  if  the 
work  of  the  convention.  Ruts  were  worn  deep  by  the  Convention  and 
by  the  Associations  in  their  routine.  Innovation  on  the  time-worn 
ways,  met  with  serious  objections  from  the  good  men  managing  affairs. 
As  instanced  in  the  organization  of  the  Trenton  Association.  This 
body  outlined  for  itself  a  new  departure,  appointing  a  missionary  com- 
mittee to  look  in  its  bounds  for  new  fields  and  do  evangelisitc  work 
and  acquaint  the  Convention  Board  with  the  needs  of  its  field.  This 
movement  stirred  emulation  in  other  Associations,  awakened  universal 
home  enterprise.  This  was  the  motive  of  the  proposition  of  Pastor 
Fish  in  1871.  In  about  thirty  years,  the  Trenton  Association  grew  from 
ten  churches  to  forty-five.  Twenty-one  of  them  were  the  fruit  of 
the  work  of  the  missionary  committee.  The  Trenton  Association 
divided  into  two  Associations  in  1899. 

The  Camden  Association  inaugurated  the  same  system  and  in 
twelve  years,  increased  from  a  constituency  of  thirty-three  churches 
to  fifty-five  churches.  By  the  same  means,  the  West,  the  East,  the 
North  and  the  Central  have  grown  to  divisions  and  ha^'e  proved  to  be 
effective  means  of  church  extension.  At  the  session  of  the  Convention 
in  1895,  a  church  edifice  fund  was  made  up;  fifteen  thousand  dollars 
was  pledged  toward  twenty-five  thousand,  the  sum  asked  for.  Prac- 
tical steps  were  taken  in  behalf  of  Sunday  school  interests  in  1900  and 
a  superintendent  of  that  department  was  appointed.  Thus,  the  con- 
vention was  adopting  a  plan  recommended  by  a  committee  in  1875, 


MISSIONS  487 

to  include  all  Christian  activities  which  the  body  indorsed  into  one 
organization.  Summaries  of  benevolence  were  not  made  in  New 
Jersey  until  1834.  The  needs  of  this  new  land  to  be  evangelized  neces- 
sarily limited  calls  for  foreign  missions. 

In  some  old  books  which  the  writer  has,  he  finds  the  following 
churches  credited  with  gifts  for  Foreign  Missions:  Middletown  (the 
original  subscription  books  given  to  the  writer  by  Mrs.  Ann  B.  Taylor 
show  that  these  funds  came  from  the  Upper  Congregation,  Holmdel); 
First  New  Brunswick;  Perth  Amboy,  Burlington,  First  Trenton, 
First  Paterson  is  credited  with  one  hundred  dollars.  First  Newark 
has  repeated  credits  and  in  1836,  its  Sunday  school  is  credited  with 
three  hundred  dollars,  for  tracts  and  Foreign  Missions.  "The  Circular 
letter,"  of  the  Philadelphia  Association  in  1801,  was  written  by  Pastor 
Ewing  of  First  HopeweU  (the  church  is  now  antinomian).  Its  theme 
was  Missions,  urged  as  only  such  a  man  could  press  home  duty  and 
obligation.  It  was  in  truth,  the  century  call  to  Baptists.  Only  thirty- 
four  years  later,  that  mighty  church,  which  had  a  record,  that  easily 
gave  it  the  first  place  among  the  Baptist  family  of  churches  in  the 
nation,  went  over  into  antinomianism,  the  pool  of  emptiness,  and 
since  1835  it  has  steadily  declined. 

Although  by  its  wealth  and  large  congregation  it  maintains  a 
nominal  existence,  many  of  its  stanch  Baptist  families  have  already 
become  the  strength  of  other  denominations,  they  holding  the  sur- 
rounding towns  by  an  alien  faith.  The  executive  officers  of  the  New 
Jersey  Baptist  convention  have  been: 

PRESIDENTS. 

*Daniel  Dodge,  1830  to  1839.               *C.  E.  Wilson,  1854  to  1855. 
*G.  S.  Webb,  1839  to  1843.                   *D.  M.  Wilson,  1858  to  1873. 
*C.  W.  Mulford,  1843  to  1849.                 *James  Buchanan,  1873  to  1884. 
*S.  J.  Drake,  1849  to  1853.                    F.  W.  Ayer,  1884  to  1894. 
*D.  B.  Stout,  1853  to  1854.                   *Samuel  Clogate,  1894  to  1895. 
E.  J.  Brockett,  1896  to . 

SECRETARIES. 

*M.  H.  Rhees,  1830  to  1840.  *H.  F.  Smith,  1865  to  1879. 

*C.  W.  Mulford,  1840  to  1843.  T.  E.  Vassar,  1879  to  1884. 

*S.  J.  Drake,  1843  to  1848.  J.  C.  Buchanan,  1884  to  1893. 

*J.  M.  Carpenter,  1848  to  1865.  C.  A.  Cook,  1893  to  1899. 

R.  H.  Johnson,  1899  to  - — -. 

TREASURERS. 

*P.  P.  Runyon,  1830  to  1871.  A.  Suydam,  1879  to  1892. 

*S.  Van  Wickle,  1871  to  1879.  B.  F.  Fowler,  1892  to  1900. 

D.  G.  Garabrant,  1900  to . 

♦Deceased. 


488  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

These  gentlemen  were  exceptionally  efficient  in  the  conduct  of 
the  affairs  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  in  whom  their 
brethren  had  great  deUght.  Mr.  E.  J.  Brockett,  the  President  in  1900, 
is  a  member  of  North  Orange  church,  and  is  known  as  eminent  in  the 
discharge  of  his  official  duties  as  any  of  his  predecessors.  At  several 
times,  the  State  Convention  has  felt  that  the  state  needed  a  State 
Superintendent  of  its  work  and  had  appointed  men,  who  were  known 
competent  for  the  trust  and  whose  worth  was  universally  appreciated. 
In  1889,  the  committee  on  "state  work"  called  attention  to  this  matter 
as  demanding  immediate  attention. 

The  whole  subject  was  referred  to  the  Board  for  final  action. 
The  Rev.  D.  DeWolf  pastor  of  the  Memorial  church  at  Salem,  was 
chosen  for  the  office,  and  in  the  July  meeting  of  the  Board,  1889,  was 
appointed  (min.  of  the  Convention  1890,  page  20,)  and  has  efficient!)' 
discharged  the  duties  of  his  trust;  is  now  (1904)  superintendent  of 
missions  and  corresponding  Secretary.  His  work  is  entirely  satisfactory 
and  the  Convention  moneys  have  increased  enormously.  Various 
pastors  desired  his  location  within  their  bounds.  One,  knowing  the 
alienation  of  old,  advised  his  settlement  in  East  Jersey.  A  result  is 
that  East  Jersey  is  devotedly  attached  to  the  Convention  and  its  work. 
The  Baptist  cause  in  both  New  York  and  Philadelphia  owes  much  to 
New  Jersey  Baptists.  In  New  York,  relationship  to  Scotch  Plains  is 
already  known.  At  Philadelphia,  after  Winchester's  defection,  while 
pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  church.  President  Manning  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity, a  Jersey  man,  recommended  Rev.  Thomas  Ustic.  He  ac- 
cepted their  call  and  accomplished  a  great  work  in  Philadelphia.  Hon. 
E.  J.  Brockett  is  president  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  Convention. 
Mr.  Brockett  is  a  member  of  North  Orange  church  and  is  esteemed 
as  most  competent  for  the  duties  of  his  office  as  well  as  deservedly 
held  in  high  repute  throughout  the  state. 

The  step  thus  taken  was  in  the  Goshen  Baptist  church,  whose 
first  meeting  house  was  erected  in  1771,  though  the  church  itself  was 
not  organized  until  November  7,  1773,  by  Revs.  Isaac  Sutton  and 
Daniel  Fristo,  with  thirty  constituent  members.  Rev.  James  Sutton 
was  the  first  pastor  of  this  church.  Isaac  Sutton  was  the  first  pastor 
of  the  Great  Bethel  church.  Rev.  James  Sutton  the  first  pastor  at 
Goshen,  was  his  brother.  They  also  had  two  other  brothers  in  the 
Baptist  ministry  of  New  Jersey,  John  and  David,  where  all  the  brothers 
originally  labored.  In  1770,  the  name  of  James  first  appears  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Association.  He  was  then  a  licentiate, 
but  evidently  a  man  of  ability  and  of  the  true  evangelistic  spirit,  as  he 
was  that  year  sent  by  the  Association  to  supply  the  following  churches 


MISSIONS  489 

in  New  Jersey  on  the  dates  given:  Newtown  the  last  Sunday  in  October, 
Morristown,  Lyons,  Farms,  Manahawkin,  respectively  the  first,  second 
and  fourth  Sundays  of  November.  The  next  year,  his  name  appears 
among  the  ordained  ministers  of  the  Association,  and  it  is  given  as 
pastor  of  the  church  at  Tuckahoe,  N.  J.,  with  whose  constitution  he 
had  probably  been  identified. 


CHAPTER   LVIIL 


BIBLE  SCHOOLS. 

Since  Lord's  Day  schools  have  become  a  special  line  of  Christian 
activity,  a  great  change  has  come  in  Christian  effort  for  youth.  Rev. 
W.  T.  Brantley,  Sr.,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia, 
introduced  special  effort  for  the  young.  Before  his  coming,  experi- 
mental piety,  many  believed  to  be  beyond  the  comprehension  of  those 
of  ten  to  fifteen  years  old.  Those  younger  were  seldom  encouraged 
to  believe  themselves  Christians. 

Bible  schools,  as  now  called,  had  been  begun  about  twenty-five 
years  before  Mr.  Brantley  became  pastor;  but  the  prejudice  of  the 
inability  of  3'outh  to  understand  the  experience  of  conversion,  generally 
prevailed.  Had  it  been  the  understanding  of  ''the  confession  of  faith" 
adopted  by  the  Philadelphia  Association  in  1742,  of  "God's  decrees; 
election,  particular  atonement  and  perseverance  of  the  saints;"  there 
would  be  even  now,  dissent  that  not  only  childhood,  but  that  mature 
years  did  not  understand.  But  those  were  the  days  of  Hyper-Cal- 
vinism. A  feature  of  these  times  was;  that  each  applicant  for  mem- 
bership was  asked:  "if  he  had  read  the  Confession  of  Faith  of  1742," 
nor  were  such  admitted  tiU  they  had.  This  was  asked  of  the  writer 
when  fourteen  years  old.  Young  men  and  women  were  accepted  as 
doing  their  whole  duty  by  quietly  endorsing  the  opinions  of  venerable 
men  and  women  of  a  hundred  years  before.  Pastor  Holcombe,  when 
asked  if  he  consented  to  a  Sunday  schoool,  replied  that  he  did  not  know 
if  it  would  do  any  harm.  Pastor  Brantley  called  young  men  and  women 
to  the  front,  giving  them  leadership. 

There  were  no  departments  of  acti-\^e  church  membership  before 
Bible  schools  and  they  have  begotten  the  various  plans  for  training 
young  members  of  the  church.  Mr.  Brantley  "pushed  things"  in 
this  direction.  Baptists  looked  with  alarm  on  Mr.  Brantlej^'s  move- 
ments. In  1830,  the  writer's  young  sister  knew  the  "great  change,"  and 
Deacon  Richards  living  in  Western  Philadelphia,  of  the  Fifth  church 
(Sanson!  street) ,  hastened  to  our  home  and  entreated  father  that  the 
child  might  not  be  allowed  to  WTong  herself  and  the  church  by  joining 
it,  insisting  that  she  was  too  young  (she  was  eleven  years  old)  to  know 
the  meaning  of  the  step.  She  was  accepted  and  in  the  nearly  seventy 
years  of  her  membership  in  the  church,  verified  her  heirship  in  the 
Kingdom  of  God.     Rev.  G.  W.  Clark  said  to  the  writer  that  he  was 


BIBLE  SCHOOLS  491 

delayed  admission  to  the  church  on  account  of  being  too  young  to  have 
an  experience  of  the  truth.  Within  a  few  years,  the  Bible  school  has 
wrought  a  change  in  the  views  of  Christians  on  the  subject  of  early 
piety. 

This,  in  part,  explains  why  formerly  only  elderly  people  were 
added  to  the  churches  and  why  now,  additions  to  them  consist  so 
largely  of  the  young.  Also,  of  the  different  type  of  "Christian  exper- 
ience" from  that  of  yore.  Youth  cannot  have  the  intense  conviction 
of  sin  nor  the  consciousness  of  repentance  that  forty  or  fifty  years  of 
carnality,  pride  and  lust  accumulates.  These  schools  in  their  incep- 
tion were  largely  secular,  save  that  the  day  on  which  they  met,  implied 
a  relation  to  religion.  It  was  peculiar  of  them  that  godly  people  sus- 
tained them;  however  much  secularity  there  was  in  their  beginning. 
Eventually,  they  developed  along  religious  lines,  and  under  the  hallowed 
influence  pious  children  and  youth  attain  an  experience  of  the 
Divine  life  by  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Under  the  care  of  the 
godly,  Bible  schools  are  a  birthplace  to  the  saved,  and  they  are  second 
only  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  as  an  instrument  of  salvation. 

The  first  Bible  school  in  New  Jersey  was  begun  in  Newark  in  1794. 
Certain  Christian  women,  members  of  what  was  once  a  congregational 
church,  but  which  the  Presbyterians  absorbed  and  now  retain.  The 
earliest  and  first  Lord's  Day  school  was  begun  at  Ephrata,  Pa.,  in 
1749  in  a  colony  of  Seventh  Day  Baptists.  Of  the  time  of  its  beginning 
the  historian  writes:  "It  is  not  exactly  known  what  year  the  Sabbath 
school  was  begun.  Ephrata  is  in  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  sixty  miles 
northwest  of  Philadelphia  and  belongs  whoUy  to  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Society.  Many  of  the  members  being  men  of  education,  they 
established  a  secular  school.  Hecker  came  to  Ephrata  in  1739  and  it 
is  believed  that  he  began  the  school.  Soon  after  he  took  up  his  resi- 
dence there."  (Chambers'  Enclycopedia.  See  Sunday  schools). 
This  Sunday  school  preceded  that  which  Robert  Raikes  began  in  1781, 
by  about  fifty  years.  Religious  instruction  in  the  Sabbath  school, 
the  same  writer  states:  "produced  an  anxious  inquiry  among  the  juven- 
ile population.     They  met  every  day  to  pray  and  exhort  one  another." 

The  excitement  ran  into  excess  which  induced  Friedsam  (an  elder) 
to  discourage  an  enterprise,  which  had  been  commenced  and  was  part 
under  way;  viz.  "to  erect  a  house  for  their  use  to  be  called  Succoth." 
Elder  Friedsam  delayed  the  erection  of  the  building,  for  in  1749,  the 
historian  states:  that  the  materials  of  the  building  in  that  year  were 
furnished.  The  building  was  used  for  a  hospital  after  the  battle  of 
Brandywine  and  the  school  was  not  resumed.  Hoeker  was  sixty 
years  old  at  this  time  and  the  people  were  Germans.     Revivals  have 


492  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

ever  been  a  characteristic  of  the  Bible  school,  In  1809,  the  Friends, 
(Quakers)  established  a  first  day  school  in  Trenton  for  colored  people. 
(Dr.  Hall's  History  of  Trenton,  page  582).  This  failed  for  lack  of 
funds  to  pay  a  teacher  and  in  May  1811,  a  society  of  all  denominations 
was  formed  to  begin  a  First  day  school  for  the  instruction  of  the  poor 
of  all  descriptions  and  colors.  The  same  year,  a  Bible  school  was  es- 
tablished in  New  Brunswick  for  poor  children.  Oustide  of  Newark, 
these  were  the  early  movements  made  in  New  Jersey  in  this  depart- 
ment. Mr.  J.  M.  Sherrerd  was  a  law  student  in  Trenton  and  united 
with  the  First  Presbyterian  church  and  writes: 

"During  the  winter  of  1815-16,  there  was  a  special  religious  awaken- 
ing in  Trenton  and  at  a  union  meeting  held  weekly,  it  was  mooted  whe- 
ther we  might  not  do  good  by  starting  a  Sunday  school.  Our  prayer 
meeting  was  composed  of  about  a  dozen  young  men,  who  had  united 
with  the  different  churches  and  a  few  others,  seriously  disposed.  I 
recollect  the  names  of  Gershom  Mott,  John  French,  Mr.  Bowen,  John 
Probasco,  Baptists.  Lewis  Evans  a  Friend,  (Quaker).  At  first  I 
was  the  only  Presbyterian,  but  others  soon  joined  me.  I  was  appointed 
to  visit  the  schools  in  Philadelphia  and  did  so.  The  use  of  the  old 
school  room  over  the  Market  House  on  'Mill  Hill,'  was  obtained. 
At  eight  o'clock,  the  next  Sunday,  we  met,  six  teachers  and  twenty-six 
scholars.  Every  Sunday,  the  school  was  dismissed  in  time  to  attend 
the  churches.  At  the  end  of  three  months,  the  room  being  too  small, 
we  formed  a  school  in  each  of  the  three  churches.  The  Baptist,  the 
Presbyterian  and  the  third  at  the  Academy.  In  a  Trenton  newspaper 
of  the  eighth  of  August,  1817  it  is  said  that  these  three  schools  were 
organized  under  the  title  of  'The  Trenton  and  Lamberton  Sunday 
Free  School  Association.'  " 

The  date  of  the  beginning  of  which  was  March  9th,  1816.  At 
the  time  of  the  division  into  three  schools,  female  teachers  for  the  first 
time  took  part.  These  schools  were  union  schools.  Eventually, 
they  were  known  as  the  schools  of  the  several  churches  where  they  met. 
Of  the  six  names  given  by  Mr.  Sherrerd,  four  were  Baptists;  one  a 
Friend  (Quaker);  one  a  Presbyterian.  These  numbers,  while  not 
indicating  the  proportionate  interest  of  the  churches  expressed  its  rel- 
ative diffusion. 

Mrs.  Ann  B.  Taylor  of  Holmdel,  established  the  First  Baptist 
Sunday  school  in  New  Jersey  in  her  own  home  on  her  farm. 
Objection  was  made  by  the  neighbors  to  sending  their  children 
to  the  school  because  their  children  had  neither  shoes  nor  stockings 
and  Mrs.  Taylor's  had  both,  whereupon,  she  required  her  children  to 
come  to  the  school  barefoot  and  thus  removed  the  objection.     This 


BIBLE  SCHOOLS  493 

school  was  removed  to  the  school  house  and  continued  from  1816  to 
1885  or  6,  seventy  years.  Of  the  many  aggressive  religious  enter- 
prises, characteristic  of  the  nineteenth  century,  missions,  home  and 
foreign;  temperance;  Sunday  schools;  young  people's  societies;  homes 
for  the  aged  and  the  young  education,  academies;  colleges;  seminaries; 
all  having  their  root  in  Christianity,  none  of  these  activities  have  had 
a  more  blessed  or  larger  fruitage  than  the  Bible  school.  All  denom- 
inations have  recognized  it  as  the  foremost  element  of  power,  for  the 
coming  generation  as  well  as  an  instrumentality  of  chiefest  blessing 
to  those  who  serve  in  it. 

The  decay  of  the  superstition  that  infant  baptism  has  some  virtue 
in  it  or  can  be  of  any  good  to  the  ignorant  and  unbelieving  babe,  is 
a  reason  for  the  growing  belief  that  an  experience  of  Divine  grace  by 
personal  faith  in  the  Son  of  God  is  the  better  way,  and  that  each  con- 
vert has  the  right  to  choose  for  himself  his  profession  and  to  make  it 
of  his  own  free  will.  Nor  is  it  strange  that  the  denominations  clinging 
to  this  falsehood  of  the  dark  ages  observe  it  less,  and  the  godly  cling 
more  and  more  to  the  Bible  plan  of  each  soul  being  free,  instead  of 
advantage  having  been  taken  of  its  ignorance  and  helplessness  and  its 
way  to  perdition  made  surer.  Mrs.  Ann  B.  Taylor  was  a  remarkable 
woman.  She  lived  and  died  at  an  old  age  without  any  impairment 
of  her  natural  faculties.  Her  devotion  and  ceaseless  activity  con- 
tinued up  to  the  day  of  her  death. 

Long  past  her  eightieth  year,  she  was  usually  among  the  first 
of  the  teachers  at  her  class  in  the  Sunday  school  and  it  was  a  remark- 
able thing  for  her  to  be  absent  from  the  Lord's  Day  worship.  Among 
other  qualities  commending  her  memory  was  her  preservation  of  the 
old  documents  of  her  times:  subscription  books  for  various  objects  and 
annual  and  semi-annual  reports  of  the  Sunday  school.  Of  these  last, 
so  much  is  given  as  indicates  their  condition  and  type.  In  1826,  in 
the  Fall  the  report  states.  The  Holmdel  Church  School:  "The  teachers 
of  the  Pleasant  Valley  Sunday  school  feel  gratified  that  at  the  close 
of  their  labors  for  the  present  year,  the  state  of  the  school  enables  them 
to  make  the  following  report:  (the  report  is  omitted  in  full)  but  these 
facts   are   added: 

White  boys 
White  girls 
Colored   boys 
Colored  girls 

Total,  151 


42 

29 

71 

44 

36 

80 

494  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

The  greater  part  of  these  were  children  learning  their  letters. 
There  have  been  committed  to  memory  by  those  who  could  read,  2588 
verses  of  the  New  Testament  and  229  hymns.  Two  instances  ought 
to  be  noticed:  Mary  Bray  in  twelve  Sundays  recited  1056  verses,  com- 
prising all  of  Matthew,  except  the  first  chapter  and  Elizabeth  Taylor, 
daughter  of  Mrs.  A.  B.  Taylor,  a  girl  under  six  years  of  age  in  six  Sun- 
days recited  hymns  witli  great  accuracy.  Report  of  the  same  school 
in  1829:  "The  managers  and  teachers  of  the  union  Sabbath  school 
are  permitted  to  lay  before  the  pastor  and  the  church,  a  partial  report 
of  the  school  since  our  last  report."  "Our  school  has  been  as  well  at- 
tended through  the  winter  as  could  be  expected.  Some  circumstances 
prevent  our  giving  an  exact  account  of  what  has  been  committed  to 
memory,  but  in  the  female  department  there  has  been  recited  1031 
verses  of  Scripture  and  317  whole  hymns,  which  added  to  the  number 
recited  last  year,  amount  to  2761  verses  of  Scripture  and  514  hymns. 
There  has  been  selected  near  two  hundred  proofs  on  thirteen  different 
subjects." 

"Teachers  pray  for  their  scholars  and  scholars  pray  for  themselves 
and  we  hope  they  may  be  thoroughly  convinced  of  sin  and  then  obtain 
peace  and  joy  in  believing."  A  report  of  1829,  October:  "It  has  become 
the  duty  of  the  managers  and  teachers  of  the  Sunday  school  to  lay 
before  their  pastor  and  the  church  a  report  of  the  school.  There  are 
at  present  123  scholars.  Boys  have  committed  to  memory,  675  verses 
of  Scripture  and  105  hymns;  the  girls,  1519  verses  of  Scripture  and 
163  hymns;  in  all,  2194  verses  and  268  hymns  and  brought  293  proofs 
on  four  different  subjects.  One  teacher  and  one  scholar  have  been 
added  to  the  church  by  baptism.  Others  appear  to  be  earnestly  in- 
quiring the  wa}^  to  life.  We  have  established  a  monthly  prayer  meeting 
on  the  second  Thursday  of  each  month,  to  unite  our  prayers  for  a  bless- 
ing, that  we  may  see  children  brought  to  the  Saviour.  A  branch  was 
opened  on  the  17th  of  May  last.  It  has  enrolled  109  scholars  and  the 
average  attendance  for  twenty  Sundays  has  been  fifty." 

"The  superintendent  believes  it  ought  to  be  one  hundred.  As 
many  religious  tracts  have  been  distributed  each  Sunday  as  there 
were  scholars  and  teachers.  Many  are  carried  into  destitute  families 
and  neighborhoods.  Anxiety  was  felt  on  opening  the  school  for  teach- 
ers, but  -without  reason.  There  has  been  330  verses  of  Scripture 
recited  beside  pages  of  catechism.  Brethren  and  sisters  your  prayers 
are  earnestly  solicited."  These  reports  indicate  an  intense  interest 
in  children  and  show  a  missionary  aim  by  establishing  a  branch  school 
and  appointing  a  monthly  meeting  for  prayer.  The  Bible  was  the  one 
book  of  study  and  the  committal  to  memory  of  verses  in  it  intimate 


BIBLE  SCHOOLS  495 

a  wide  difference  in  the  modern  school  where  Quarterlies  and  lesson 
papers  have  virtually  banished  the  Bible.  Could  it  be  restored  and 
youth  lay  up  in  memory  the  Word  of  God,  it  would  be  a  vast  improve- 
ment on  modern  methods.  The  writer  recalls  his  Sunday  school  days, 
when  the  Word  of  God  was  the  book  of  study  and  treasures  of  it  were 
laid  up  in  memory,  never  to  be  parted  with  and  ever  to  be  a  cheer  and 
comfort  in  daily  life.  These  views  of  old,  indicate  the  change  which 
has  occurred  in  our  Sunday  school  studies.  Then  it  was  the  Bible 
Now,  it  is  comments  on  the  Bible. 


V"W 


CHAPTER  LIX. 


EDUCATION. 

It  is  elsewhere  said  that  in  the  first  session  of  the  first  meeting 
of  New  Jersey  Baptists  on  December  3rd  and  4th,  1811,  in  which  they 
could  be  independent  of  foreign  influence,  that  immediately  after 
organizing,  a  committee  of  three,  B.  Allison,  pastor  of  Jacobstown, 
Peter  Wilson,  pastor  at  Hightstown  and  Joseph  Sheppard,  pastor  at 
Salem,  was  appointed  "to  draft  a  plan  for  a  literary  and  theological 
school  for  young  licentiates  in  the  ministry  and  for  devising  ways  and 
means  to  raise  a  fund  for  defraying  the  expenses  of  the  same  and  sub- 
mit it  to  the  consideration  of  our  next  Association." 

At  the  next  meeting  of  the  Association  in  1812,  the  committee 
reported:  "that  they  had  seen  one  proposed  by  the  ministers  of  Phila- 
delphia which  they  recommended  to  this  Association."  An  alliance 
began  thus,  between  New  Jersey  Baptists  and  those  of  adjoining  states 
of  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  in  educational  enterprises,  which  has 
been  the  bane  and  affliction  to  our  home  interests.  Later,  in  1837-8, 
came  a  delegation  from  Hamilton,  N.  J.,  (now  Colgate)  of  President 
N.  Kendrick,  Prof.  G.  W.  Eaton  and  J.  Edmonds,  Jr.,  stating  that 
their  resources  were  exhausted  and  asking  New  Jersey  for  co-operation 
with  New  York  in  the  support  of  their  Hamilton  Institution.  Large 
sums  were  pledged  and  many  students  were  secured  for  Hamilton. 
Another  plea  from  Pennsyh^ania  came  in  1840-6  for  Lewisburg,  pre- 
sented by  that  most  effective  advocate.  Rev.  Eugenio  Kincaid,  with 
whom  Lewisburg  originated.  Philadelphia  Baptists  looked  with 
disfavor  on  the  location.  Indeed,  it  was  openly  said  that  Mr.  J.  P. 
Crozer  was  ready  to  give  it  a  home  and  large  endowment,  if  the  col- 
lege had  been  located  where  Crozer  Seminary  is  now.  These  calls 
and  alliances  from  adjoining  states  paralyzed  these  enterprises  for 
more  than  half  a  century.  The  answer  to  every  such  movement  was: 
"Hamilton  needs  us;  Lewisburg  must  not  be  forsaken."  The  Central 
Education  Society  of  Philadelphia,  claimed  also  an  implied  alliance 
with  New  Jersey  and  had  some  measure  of  relation  to  the  Sandy  Ridge 
school  and  to  Haddington  under  Pastor  Dagg  of  the  Fifth  church, 
Philadelphia,  and  again  with  Burlington  under  Aaron  and  Green. 

From  the  earliest  settlement  of  New  Jersey,  Baptists  have  been 
impregnated  with  educational  ideas.  Indeed,  the  entire  population, 
denominational  and  undenominational,  was  intent  to  provide  schools. 


EDUCATION  497 

Baptists  had  their  full  share  of  political  and  judgeship  positions  and 
were  universally  respected  and  held  foremost  places  both  in  social 
life  and  in  official  positions.  There  was  no  colony  in  America,  in  which 
Baptists  included  more  wealth  and  culture.  The  first  legacies  for 
education  amoimting  to  tens  of  thousands  of  dollars  were  in  New 
Jersey.  The  Hollanders  held  the  school  and  the  church  in  the  highest 
estimation.  The  West  India  Company  chartered  in  1629,  (a  Holland 
and  Commercial  Company)  enjoined  on  its  colonists  "to  find  out  in 
the  speediest  manner  ways  and  means,  whereby  they  could  support 
a  minister  and  a  school  master."  A  wide  difference  from  the  English 
East  India  Company,  which  prohibited  Christianity  and  the  Bible; 
drove  Carey  to  take  a  clerkship  and  Judson  to  the  shelter  of  a  heathen 
king,  (Burma).  The  first  free  school  was  established  in  New  Jersey 
September  22nd,  1668,  by  Gov.  Carteret,  who  stipulated  in  the  Bergen 
charter  "that  all  persons  should  contribute  according  to  their  estates 
and  proportions  of  land  for  the  keeping  of  a  free  school  for  the  edu- 
cation of  youth.'  In  West  Jersey,  the  Quakers  built  their  meeting 
house  and  school  house  under  one  roof."  "George  Fox  in  1667,  advised 
his  New  Jersey  friends  to  establish  boarding  schools  that  young  men 
in  low  circumstances  may  be  furnished  with  means  to  procure  edu- 
cation." Swedes  settled  on  the  Delaware  river  in  New  Jersey  with 
the  stipulation  that  they  should  support  at  all  times,  ministers  and 
schoolmasters.  (U.  S.  History  of  Education  in  New  Jersey,  1899;  page 
119).  The  U.  S.  History  of  Education  in  New  Jersey  states  that  in 
1731,  "the  supply  of  competent  teachers  has  never  been  equal  to  the 
demand."  New  Jersey  people  are  said  to  be  "slow"  and  very  "con- 
servative." It  may  be  so.  Their  descent  from  cultured  generations 
explain  why  they  are  as  described. 

Intelligence  and  education  induces  consideration  and  conservatism. 
Educators  from  New  England  and  the  West,  have  publicly  claimed 
that  the  average  intelligence  of  the  boys  and  girls  of  New  Jersey  is 
higher  than  in  other  states.  New  Jersey  Baptists  have  had  various 
experiences  with  schools.  As  many  as  nine  or  ten  have  been  founded 
in  the  state  or  colon j-.  Other  colonies  are  entitled  to  the  ciedit  of 
being  concerned  along  the  same  lines  and  doing  for  themselves  a  like 
work  of  development.  The  oldest  of  tnese  schools  in  New  Jersey  was 
established  in  Hopewell  in  1756  by  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton.  The  Phila- 
delphia Association  took  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  Hopewell  school 
for  two  reasons.  One,  Mr.  Eaton  was  thoroughly  competent  to  have 
the  oversight  of  it.  Another,  was  that  Hopewell  was  a  wise  and  good 
location  for  the  school  of  the  nation,  in  the  heart  of  the  country  and  in 
the  midst  of  its  largest  population,  between  the  two  great  cities  of  the 


498  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

country,  in  a  colony  which  inchided  wealth  and  culture  and  near  to 
an  association  of  stanch  Baptistic  faith  and  order  in  a  colony  where 
a  free  conscience  and  liberty  of  belief  had  guarantees  that  assured 
continuance. 

The  same  reasons  should  have  availed  to  have  left  it  where  it  was; 
amid  a  people  equal  to  any  other  in  the  new  world,  for  cultivation 
and  liberality  and  associated  with  a  foremost  Baptist  church.  Pri- 
marily, the  school  was  intended  for  the  education  of  young  men  for  the 
ministry,  but  it  was  not  limited  to  them.  Really,  it  included  all  de- 
partments of  study. 

Morgan  Edwards  names  graduates,  eminent  in  official  position, 
in  politics,  in  law,  in  medicine,  in  merchandise  and  in  the  ministry. 
He  also  names  ministerial  students,  graduates  of  Hopewell,  James 
Manning,  first  President  and  founder  of  Brown  University;  Samuel 
Jones,  who  had  a  school  at  Pennepack,  John  Gano,  pastor  of  First  Bap- 
tist church,  New  York  City;  Hezekiah  Smith,  Baptist  Apostle  to 
New  England. 

David  Jones,  chaplain  in  Revolutionary  Army,  and  to  General 
Washington,  Isaac  Skillman,  pastor  in  Boston  and  others,  eminent 
men.  In  1767,  the  school  was  removed  to  Providence,  R.  I.,  and 
became  Browm  University.  The  removal  was  decided  on,  because 
of  a  prevalent  belief  that  Rhode  Island  was  the  only  colony  in  which 
Baptists  were  sure  of  protection  and  liberty.  A  miserable  and  strange 
fiction,  since  Baptists  had  been  coming  to  New  Jersey  from  every 
colony  in  New  England,  many  from  Rhode  Island. 

Even  Rhode  Island  was  not  a  safer  refuge  than  New  Jersey  for 
Baptists.  Not  only  had  there  never  been  a  persecution  in  the  colony, 
but  the  Stuarts  owed  everything  to  Quakers  and  to  the  Welsh  and 
Admiral  Penn  had  large  financial  claims  which  it  behooved  Charles  II,  to 
settle.  Subsequent  events  showed  the  awful  blunder  of  1767.  The 
men  and  the  money  were  in  New  Jersey  to  supply  its  needs.  Phila- 
delpnia  was  the  social  and  financial  center  of  the  nation  and  New  York 
was  at  hand  the  center  of  trade  and  commerce.  We  know  what  Prince- 
ton University  is.  Hopewell  might  have  done  for  New  Jersey  Baptists 
what  Princeton  University  has  accomplished  for  Presbyterians  in 
New  Jersey  and  adjoining  states.  (In  1752,  there  were  nine  Baptist 
churches  in  New  England.  Eight  in  New  Jersey;  one  in  Pennsylvania 
one  in  Delaware  and  one  in  South  Carolina).  Certainly  Hopewell 
church  would  have  been  saved  from  the  embrace  of    anti-nomianism. 

Those  of  us  whose  memory  runs  back  seventy  years,  recall  how 
limited  Presbyterianism  was  in  New  Jersey  and  how  strong  Baptists 
were,     And  now,  we  know  how  reversed  the  conditions  are.     But 


EDUCATION  499 

the  education  of  professional  men,  of  judges,  of  merchants,  under  the 
influence  which  Princeton  represents  has  modified  public  influences. 
Had  the  wrong  of  1767  been  stayed,  we  also  would  have  shared  in  the 
training  and  culture  of  men  who  have  made  public  opinions.  Not 
that  Princeton  would  have  been  less,  but  that  we  would  have  held  our 
own  and  attained  to  the  promise  of  our  youth.  Now  our  Baptist  pro- 
fessional men  and  citizens,  who  anticipate  for  their  sons  the  place  in 
professional  and  social  life  send  their  sons  to  Princeton,  and  say:  "the 
affiliations  there  puts  them  in  concord  with  the  social,  judicial,  and 
official  citizenship  of  the  state."  None  can  estimate  the  good  we  have 
lost  by  the  crime  of  1767. 

The  writer  addressed  a  letter  to  President  Patton  of  Princeton, 
iisking;  to  which  the  appended  letter  is  his  reply.  The  facts  touch 
education  and  the  activities  of  life  and  its  impulsion  to  dignities  are 
not  new  and  indicate  our  losses  by  the  disaster  of  1767,  wrought  by  men 
outside  of  }\gw  Jersey. 

Rev.  T.  S.  Oriffiths, 

Hightstown,  N.  J. 
My  Dear  Sir:- 

Your  letter  with  references  to  the  positions  filled  by  Princeton 
men  in  Congress  and  elsewhere,  has  been  received.  I  cannot  be  sure 
that  you  have  not  overstated  the  facts,  but  it  is  certainly  true  that 
Princeton  has  a  very  enviable  record,  and  I  will  be  glad  to  put  you  in 
possession  of  exact  facts  just  as  soon  as  I  can. 
I  am, 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

Francis  L.  Patton. 

SUMMARY. 

Graduates  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey  with  the  degree  of  A.  B. .  .  7168 

Graduates  of  the  School  of  Science 318 

Graduates  of  the   Law  School, 7 

Total   number   now   living, 3916 

Number  of  Giaduate  Degrees  conferred  on  examination 215 

Number  of   Honorary  Degrees  conferred 887 

Graduates  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey  who  have  become 

President   of    the    United    States, 1 

Vice-Presidents   of   the  United  States, 2 

Cabinet   Officers, 13 

Presidents  of  the  United  States  Senate, 2 

United   States    Senators, 54 

Speakers  of  the  House  of  Representatives, ? 


500  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Representatives     in     Congress, 135 

Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States, 1 

Justices  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court, 5 

Attorney  Generals  of  the  United  States, 9 

Signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 2 

Members  of  the  Continental  Congress, 22 

Members  of  the  United  States  Constitutional  Convention, 9 

Ministers  Plenipotentiary  of  Foreign  Nations 15 

Fleet  Surgeons  United  States  Navy, 4 

Governors    of    States, 31 

Presidents  of  Provincial  Congresses, 5 

Members  of  State  Constitutonal  Conventions, 17 

State     Attorney     Generals 42 

State       Chancellors, 14 

Presidents  of  State  Senates, 7 

State    Senators, 53 

Speakers    of   State    Assemblies, 23 

State  Assemblymen, 109 

State  Chief  Justices, 28 

Judges, 204 

Major  Generals  United  States  Army, 6 

Brigadier  Generals  United  States  Army, 2 

Surgeon  Generals  United  States  Army, 2 

Members  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society, 8 

Fellows  of  the  Royal  Society, 2 

Founders  of  Colleges, 7 

Presidents  of  Colleges, 65 

Professors  in  Colleges  and  Technical  Schools, 353 

Trustees  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey, 60 

Ordained    Ministers, 1296 

Physicians,    661 

A  legacy  was  made  to  the  Philadelphia  Association,  (at  that  time 
there  was  not  an  organized  body  in  New  Jersey,  to  which  it  could 
be  given),  but  Mr.  Honeywell  expressed  his  choice  as  to  its  manage- 
ment by  naming  two  Baptist  pastors  in  New  Jersey  of  the  three  trustees 
whom  he  appointed  to  administer  the  fund. 

John  Honeywell  of  Warren  County,  New  Jersey,  devised,  it  is 
supposed,  several  thousand  dollars  for  a  school,  designating  it  "for 
the  education  of  slaves  and  children  of  poor  parents."  Some  thousands 
of  the  amount  were  expended  on  the  building  and  several  thousands 
were  an  endowment.  Mr.  Honeywell  is  believed  to  have  died  in  1775 
jand  the  building  to  have  been  erected  in  1778-82.     The  first  mention 


EDUCATION  501 

of  the  legacy  in  the  Philadelphia  Association  was,  as  nearly  as  is  known, 
in  1782.  News  travelled  slow  in  those  early  times.  (1782,  item 
12,  Page  181,  A.  B.  P.  Society,  Education  of  1851),  especially  in  the 
American  Revolution  when  armies  interrupted  communications.  The 
building  was  located  in  Warren  County  near  the  town  of  Hope,  about 
nine  miles  south  of  the  Delaware  Water  Gap.  The  school  was  in 
operation  in  1900. 

Rev.  B.  Allison  established  a  school  at  Bordentown,  his  native 
place,  in  1778,  after  he  graduated  from  Brown  University. 
Mr.  Allison  lived  in  Bordentown  sixty  years  and  was  pastor 
for  twenty-five  years,  of  Jacobstown  church.  He  was  a  beneficiary 
of  the  bequest  of  Mrs.  Hobbs  of  Hopewell,  made  in  1774-57,  to  educate 
young  ministers.  Mr.  Allison  was  a  natural  genius;  a  remarkable  man 
and  educator,  as  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  in  his  school  were 
students  from  Spain,  France,  West  Indies,  South  America  and  nearly 
every  colony  and  state  in  the  United  States.  He  maintained  his 
school  for  about  thirty  years.  Young  ministers  thronged  to  it,  among 
whom  was  that  apostolic  man,  Peter  Wilson,  pastor  at  Hightstown 
for  thirty-five  years. 

Plainfield  moved  in  1811,  both  for  local  and  general  education. 
Baptists  were  the  first  movers  in  the  enterprise  and  strangely,  as  yet, 
there  was  not  a  Baptist  church  in  the  place.  In  1811,  an  organization 
of  a  Baptist  church  was  effected.  Five  trustees  were  chosen,  four  of 
them.  Baptists.  An  academy  building  was  erected  on  the  site  where 
the  First  Baptist  house  of  worship  is  now.  The  school  was  equipped 
with  eight  teachers,  five  of  whom  were  Baptists.  The  plan  and  purpose 
was  for  permanency  and  enlargement.  In  1835,  a  fire  nearly  destroyed 
the  building  and  was  disastrous  to  the  enterprise.  Sectarian  jeal- 
ousies of  our  Presbyterian  friends  stirred  up  an  opposition  and  issued 
in  a  school  of  their  own,  which  also  died.  The  motive  for  its  exist- 
ence had  gone.  A  large  hearted  and  noble  minded  man,  Robert  Rit- 
tenhouse,  of  Hunterdon  County  started  an  Academy  at  Kingwood. 
He  planned  great  things  for  God  and  for  humanity,  whicli  involved 
his  entire  financial  resources. 

Rev.  William  V.  Wilson  related  to  educational  interests  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  Jersey,  furnished  to  the  writer,  the  data  of  Sandy 
Ridge  affairs  and  says:  "Mr.  Rittenhouse  started  an  academy  in  his 
own  dwelling  in  what  was  called  the  "swamp."  (Not  a  marsh,  but 
what  is  common  in  a  hilly  country ;  a  section  in  which  springs  abound) . 
His  home  was  in  Kingwood  to^vnship,  near  to  the  Kingwood  church 
edifice  of  which  Rev.  D.  Bateman  was  pastor,  a  New  Jersey  pastor, 
endowed  with  gifts  of  leadership.     The  school  was  opened  in  the  fall 


602  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

of  1831,  with  about  twenty  students,  boarders  and  day  scholars, 
of  whom  I  was  one."  At  this  time,  the  school  was  of  both  sexes  and 
students  were  from  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Richmond  and  different 
places  in  New  Jersey,  numbering  about  thirty  boarders.  In  work 
hours,  Mr.  Wilson  was  overseer.  Being  a  manual  school  each  was 
paid  the  worth  of  his  labor  and  the  school  sustained  itself.  Order 
was  maintained  and  its  type  was  decidedly  religious.  Mr.  Wilson 
says  of  this  fall,  1831,  that  himself  and  sister  united  with  the  church 
and  suffered  persecution  from  the  students.  But  in  1832,  the  perse- 
cutors were  converted,  with  nearly  half  of  the  students. 

Mr.  Richardson  bought  a  farm  of  Deacon  Wilson  about  two  miles 
north  of  Sandy  Ridge  meeting  house  and  moved  the  school  to  its  new 
location.  Mr.  McClurg  had  been  principal  and  Mr.  J.  F.  Brown  follow- 
ed him.  Principal  Brown  resigned  in  1833  and  Mr.  W.  E.  Lock  fol- 
lowed. Pecuniary  embarrassment  occurred  to  Mr.  Richardson  and 
he  was  much  discouraged  by  a  movement  of  the  Philadelphia  pastors 
to  found  the  Haddington  School  in  Pennsylvania.  In  1833-34,  Mr. 
Rittenhouse  closed  the  school."  While  it  lived,  it  prospered  and  but 
for  the  vain  attempt  to  establish  Haddington  would  have  lived  long 
to  bless  its  vicinity.  Mr.  Wilson  adds:  "No  one  can  say  the  school 
was  a  failure.  It  accomplished  its  mission  and  ceased  to  be,  that  is 
all.     So  I  think  it  is  with  what  we  call  failures." 

"Providence  designs  certain  ends  to  be  attained  and  when  these 
are  secured,  the  instrumentality  is  laid  aside  or  merged  into  something 
else  and  takes  on  another  form."  This  is  a  cheering  view.  Nothing 
good  is  lost,  even  though  the  good  man  is  forgotten,  he  has  his  reward 
from  Him  who  does  not  forget.  William  V.  Wilson  and  brother,  the 
Larrison  brothers  and  their  sister,  Judge  Buchanan,  E.  C.  Romine 
and  C.  E.  Young  had  an  awakening  and  an  impetus  for  their  life  work, 
it  may  be  in  this  school.  Mr.  Richardson  accomplished  great  re- 
sults even  though  the  sunset  of  his  enterprise  was  shut  in  with  clouds. 
Let  his  name  be  enrolled  with  Sheppard,  Allison,  Eaton,  the  Teasdales 
and  Honeywell,  as  a  chosen  benefactor  of  his  country  and  of  his  race. 
In  May,  1836,  the  Sussex  County  Baptists  made  an  effort  to  educate 
their  youth.  The  brothers,  Thomas  and  John  Teasdale,  bought  at 
Newton,  "the  pot  wine  house  and  the  Academy  adjoining  it,"  as  a  home 
for  a  higher  Institute  of  learning. 

The  purpose  was  good;  the  plan  to  attract  students  well  laid, 
but  the  lack  of  financial  resources  had  its  usual  result.  Educational 
institutions  cost  a  good  deal  of  money,  neither  can  they  be  carried  on 
without  an  annual  expenditure  more  than  their  income  from  students. 
Well  intentioned  schemes  which  ought  to  succeed,  fail  for  want  of  finan- 


EDUCATION  503 

cial  support.  Joseph  Sheppard,  pastor  at  Salem  was  one  of  a  committee 
appointed  in  1811,  by  the  convention  that  formed  the  New  Jersey 
Association  to  report  plans  for  such  an  Institute.  Their  report  im- 
plying alliance  with  Pennsylvania  seemingly  met  the  present  need 
and  under  the  influence  of  Mr.  Sheppard,  an  organization  was  formed 
at  Salem  in  1826.  A  building  was  erected  for  its  use.  Prosperity 
attended  it  for  several  years.  Finally,  however,  it  shared  the  fate 
of  unendowed  schools  and  suspended.  The  Central  Education  Society 
of  Philadelphia  located  a  school  at  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  in  1833. 

Revs.  Samuel  Aaron  and  H.  K.  Green  were  principals.  Two 
men  could  not  be  more  unlike.  Mr.  Aaron  was  nervous,  quick  and 
hot,  but  just;  Mr.  Green  was  passive,  deliberate  and  languid;  Mr.  Aaron 
was  a  law  maker;  Mr.  Green  made  innumerable  allowances  for  youth. 
Mr.  Aaron  was  revered  by  the  students.  He  had  no  superior  as  a  teach- 
er, if  indeed,  an  equal.  Coming  into  a  recitation,  he  would  start  every 
faculty  of  the  students  into  lively  exercise  and  make  them  conscious 
that  under  his  leadership,  they  had  been  delving  in  the  richest  mines. 
Mr.  Green,  though  a  scholar  whose  repute  none  could  question,  would 
at  times  take  a  nap  in  hearing  a  recitation  as  the  writer  well  knows. 
There  was  a  theological  class  at  Burlington  numbering  possibly  fifteen. 
One  was  Daniel  Kelsay,  son  of  Pastor  Robert  Kelsay  of  Cohansie. 
Another,  William  V.  Kelsay.  Mr.  Wilson  had  gone  from  Sandy  Ridge 
to  Haddington;  from  there  to  Burlington;  from  thence  to  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary,  where  he  graduated. 

He  is  believed  to  be  the  only  survivor  of  Sandy  Ridge,  Hadding- 
ton and  Burlington  and  now  President  of  the  Board  of  Peddie  Insti- 
tute with  which  he  has  been  identified  from  its  beginning.  In  1835, 
a  committee  appointed  by  the  New  Jersey  Association  to  examine 
the  Burlington  school  reported:  "The  buildings  are  commodious;  the 
apparatus  extensive  and  select;  the  library  of  the  highest  scientific 
and  literary  character  and  the  professors  fully  competent  for  their 
duties."  The  school  continued  till  about  1840,  having  the  usual  ex- 
perience of  schools  sustained  by  divided  interests.  The  time  had 
come  when  in  1865,  the  unrest  in  New  Jersey  on  account  of  the  edu- 
cational conditions  of  the  Baptist  people  revolted  against  the  influences 
which  had  brought  the  denomination  to  the  low  estate  to  which  it  had 
fallen;  like  to  that  of  one  of  old,  when  he  exclaimed:  "they  made  me 
the  keeper  of  vineyards,  but  mine  own  vineyard  have  I  not  kept." 
In  the  meantime,  many  changes  had  come  to  pass  in  the  minds  of 
men  who  had  always  objected  to  any  home  movement,  claiming  an 
imaginary  obligation  to  Hamilton  and  to  Lewisburg.  Some  of  these 
had   died.     Others  had   been   changed.      Scores  of  new  pastors  had 


504  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

come  into  the  state,  to  whom  such  a  plea  was  silly.  Many  men  of 
ample  means  were  in  our  churches,  who  were  ashamed  of  a  condition, 
which  compelled  our  youth  to  go  abroad  for  education  or  to  attend 
Pedo  Baptist  schools.  These  and  the  incoming  pastors  comprehended 
the  situation:  our  wealth;  our  losses;  alliances  outside  by  which  our 
home  interests  were  paralyzed.  Such  considerations  brought  home 
to  our  churches  the  chief  and  crying  need  of  the  day  and  time.  Ac- 
cordingly, at  a  meeting  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  Convention  at  Bor- 
dentown  in  1863,  Rev.  J.  C.  Hyde  offered  the  following: 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  take  into  consideration 
the  desirableness  and  propriety  of  making  arrangements  immediately 
for  establishing  a  literary  institution  under  the  patronage  of  our  denom- 
ination in  New  Jersey. 

That  resolution  was  adopted  and  a  committee  appointed  con- 
sisting of  the  following  brethren:  John  C.  Hyde,  Horatio  J.  Mulford, 
Rufus  Babcock,  D.D.,  Greenleaf  S.  Webb,  D.D.,  Levi  Morse,  William 
D.  Hires,  Bergen  Stelle,  Daniel  M.  Wilson  and  Nelson  Dunham,  of 
New  Brunswick.  At  the  same  session  of  the  Convention  (See  Min.  of 
1863,  pp.  10,  11)  this  committee  made  their  report  in  the  following 
words  and  with  the  following  recommendations: 

First.  We  report  that  it  is  desirable  to  establish  such  a  school 
so  soon  as  can  be  done. 

Second.  That  it  is  feasible  when  the  sum  of  $10,000  shall  have 
been  subscribed,  at  some  suitable  place,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
a  beginning. 

Third.  That  the  thing  is  timely;  when  the  above  condition  shall 
have  been  complied  with. 

Fourth.  That  it  is  preferable  to  denominate  the  institution, 
"A  Literary  and  Scientific  Institution  for  Both  Sexes." 

Fifth.  That  we  recommend  the  appointment  by  the  State  Con- 
vention of  a  committee  to  promote  this  object. 

1st.  By  deciding  the  suitableness  of  any  place  at  which  the 
sum  of  $10,000  shall  be  raised. 

2nd.  By  determining  as  to  the  adequacy  of  the  amount  .sub- 
scribed. 

3rd.  By  advising  and  co-operating  with  a  local  committee  of 
the  place  complying  with  the  above  conditions  in  raising  the  necess- 
ary funds,  and  making  such  arrangements  as  they,  in  their  judgment, 
may  deem  proper.  Both  committees  shall,  in  conjunction,  consti- 
tute an  executive,  with  discretionary  powers. 

This  report  was  accepted,  and  the  committee  was  continued 
with  power  to  increase  their  number. 


EDUCATION  506 

The  next  year — 1864 — at  the  annual  meeting  in  Flemington, 
N.  J.,  it  was  officially  reported  that  Hightstown  had  complied  with 
the  conditions  named;  i.  e.,  the  raising  of  $10,000,  and  that  already 
a  High  School  there  was  in  successful  operation,  and  the  following 
resolution  was  offered  by  Rev.  I.  Butterfield,  then  pastor  of  the  Church 
at  Hightstown.     (Min.  1864,  p.  8). 

Resolved,  That  the  efforts  of  brethren  to  establish  a  first-class 
school  to  be  located  at  Hightstown  and  to  be  under  the  control  of 
Baptists  meet  the  hearty  approval  of  this  body  and  that  we  pledge 
to  it  our  cordial  support. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  thoughts  of  men  as  to  the  previous 
action  or  as  to  the  wisdom  of  the  selection  of  a  location  the  decision 
of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  at  that  meeting  perma- 
nently located  the  institution  at  Hightstown.  This  was  really  and 
practically  the  origin  of  Peddie  Institute.  Thus  you  perceive  that 
the  entire  action  of  the  State  Convention  in  1863  at  Bordentown  and 
in  1864,  at  Flemington,  is  given  in  the  above  extracts  from  its  minutes. 
Possibly  having  in  mind  the  action  of  the  convention  at  its  session. 
The  Hightstown  Baptist  church  on  the  next  Lord's  Day,  November 
1st,  1863,  on  motion  of  Rev.  J.  E.  Rue,  voted  to  remodel  their  old 
brick  house  of  worship,  for  social  meetings  below  and  for  school  uses 
above.  On  January  30th,  1864,  the  church  granted  the  use  of  the 
upper  room  without  rent  to  their  pastor,  Rev.  L.  Smith,  for  a  school 
room.     A  private  school  was  kept  there  for  about  six   months. 

In  the  year  1864,  two  brothers,  Messrs.  Haas,  opened  a  private 
school  in  the  upper  room  of  the  old  church  building.  They  remained 
till  1867.  The  decision  at  Flemington  located  the  school  at  Hights- 
town and  although  the  school  of  the  Haas  brothers  was  a  private  school 
it  may  be  regarded  as  an  incipient  beginning  of  Peddie  Institute.  A 
Board  of  Trustees  had  been  chosen  at  HightstowTi  in  1864,  it  is  supposed 
but  it  included  only  citizens  of  the  village,  but  additional  information 
made  it  necessary  that  Baptists  of  the  state  were  essential  and  at  a 
subsequent  election  in  1866,  such  were  chosen.  Hon.  D.  M.  Wilson 
of  Newark  was  made  President  of  the  Board.  Enoch  AUen,  treasurer 
and  Rev.  J.  C.  Hyde,  general  and  financial  agent  of  the  Board.  Mr. 
Hyde  collected  thirty  thousand  dollars  for  the  erection  of  the  building 
and  its  foundations  were  laid  on  the  site  in  Hightstown  which  a  com- 
mittee elected  by  the  Board  recommended.  It  seems  that  before  the 
erection  of  the  building  Mr.  Hyde  had  moved  to  Hightstown,  and 
seeing  the  ugly  factory  structure  being  built,  decided  that  it  was  an 
unfit  home  for  the  school  he  had  in  mind  and  took  measures  to  get 
other  plans. 


506  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Mr  Wilson,  when  he  saw  the  new  plans,  clapped  his  hands  and 
exclaimed:  "We  have  got  it!"  "We  have  got  it!"  "Put  that  old  fac- 
tory picture  out  of  sight!"  The  architect,  Mr.  Poland  of  Trenton,  in 
giving  the  plans  of  the  present  building  to  Mr.  Hyde,  said:  "This  design 
will  cost  you  forty  thousand  dollars  more  than  the  former  plan." 
Happily  the  new  Board  could  comprehend  the  values  of  beauty  and 
of  proportion  and  chose  the  expenditure  of  this  large  advance,  rather 
than  the  disgrace  of  a  continuous  nuisance.  Had  the  first  factory 
structure  been  built,  it  would  not  have  been  worth  redemption  in  1877, 
when  the  sheriff  held  the  papers  for  its  sale.  A  promise  had  been 
made  by  the  Board  that  the  donor  of  the  largest  sum  for  the  schools 
would  be  entitled  to  name  it. 

On  September  11th,  1871,  Hon.  Thomas  Peddie  of  Newark,  paid 
into  the  Treasury  of  the  Institute,  the  sum  of  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  and  the  Board  voted  to  name  the  school  Peddie  Institute. 
Since  then,  it  has  been  known  by  that  name.  The  foundation  walls 
had  been  unimproved  by  a  superstructure.  About  1868,  readiness 
to  contribute  for  the  completion  of  the  building  was  shown  and  the 
enterprise  was  accomplished  in  the  fall  of  1869,  and  the  building  was 
dedicated  with  memorable  services.  But  a  great  debt  was  incurred 
of  nearly  seventy-five  thousand  dollars..  The  writer  attended  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Board  immediately  after  the  exercises  of  dedication,  when 
a  committee  reported  that  only  the  books  of  the  general  agent  were 
intelligible.  The  manner  of  their  keeping  had  been  very  indifferent 
and  inquiry  for  the  sum  of  the  indebtedenss  was  wholly  useless  and 
given  up  in  despair. 

Affairs  passed  on  till  in  1877,  then  the  burden  of  debt  was  un- 
endurable. At  an  annual  meeting  that  year,  additional  claims  for 
thousands  of  dollars  were  made.  Eleven  only  were  present  of  the 
Board.  Men  who  gave  thousands  of  dollars  to  the  school  said  "it 
was  no  use,"  and  pastors  were  as  much  discouraged  and  said:  "the 
school  and  its  property  must  go." 

A  member  asked:  "If  this  property  was  offered  to  you  for  twenty 
thousand  dollars,  would  you  buy  it?"  "Yes,"  was  the  unanimous 
response.  Again  he  asked:  "If  this  property  is  worth  that  much  to 
buy,  is  it  not  worth  that  much  to  keep?"  An  adjournment  was  made 
to  Newark.  Rev.  William  V.  Wilson  was  called  to  the  rescue  and 
gathered  enough  to  cancel  all  debts  and  personally  paid  claims  of 
thousands  of  dollars  on  his  own  responsibility.  To  avoid  future  de- 
mands for  debts  from  the  obscure  past,  the  Board  arranged  to  sell 
the  property  to  one  of  its  members  and  re-incorporate  as  Peddie  Insti- 
tute.    A  motive  for  this  was,  that  the  books  of  the  Institute  had  been 


EDUCATION  507 

so  kept  as  to  allow  almost  any  claim  and  there  was  no  security  against 
fallacious  thousands  of  dollars. 

Mr.  Peddie  had,  at  various  times,  given  before  his  death,  fifty 
thousand  dollars  to  the  school  and  bequeathed  in  his  will,  fifty  thousand 
dollars  additional.  In  1890,  the  endowment  had  increased  to  seventy 
thousand  dollars  and  Mrs.  Peddie  devised  in  her  will,  one  hundred 
thousand  additional  endowment,  constituting  Peddie  Institute,  one 
of  a  few  academies  of  foremost  rank  in  our  country.  This 
sketch  ought  not  to  omit  reference  to  the  Longstreet  family  of  Holm- 
del.  The  mother,  Mary  Holmes  Longstreet,  was  a  descendant  in  the 
second  generation  of  Obadiah  Holmes,  Sr.,  the  Massachusetts  martyr. 
She  left  a  legacy  to  Peddie  Institute,  each  of  her  daughters  did  so, 
and  Jonathan  and  Mary  built  the  Longstreet  library  building.  Miss 
Mary,  now  living  in  1903,  also  equipped  the  Laboratory  at  a  cost  of 
one  thousand  dollars. 

The  influence  and  fruitage  of  little  things  has  an  illustration  in 
the  origin  of  this  Library.  By  the  death  of  a  daughter,  a  legacy  came 
to  the  Institute.  The  Board  decided  to  cast  it  into  the  bottomless 
pit  of  debt.  The  pastor  at  Holmdel  protested  and  prevailed  to  get 
a  part  of  it  set  apart  for  a  "Longstreet  Library."  As  an  instance  of 
the  poverty  of  the  Board,  it  was  objected  that  the  Institute  could 
not  provide  shelves  for  the  books  bought.  Whereupon,  the  pastor 
at  Holmdel  suggested  that  if  a  design  of  the  cases  for  books  were 
sent  to  him,  he  hoped  to  prevail  with  the  remaining  children,  Jonathan 
and  Mary  to  pay  for  them.  This  was  done  and  the  "Longstreet  Library 
building  and  books,  is  the  fruit. 

The  educational  Institute  fever  broke  out  anew  in  the  West  New 
Jersey  Association  in  1865,  and  the  following  resolution  was  adopted: 

Whereas,  Many  brethren  of  this  Association  are  feeling  the  im- 
portance of  having  an  Academy  or  High  School  located  within  the 
bounds  of  this  Association,  under  the  control  of  our  own  denomination, 
and 

Whereas,  Some  of  the  churches  have  referred  to  this  matter  in 
their  letters,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  a  special  committee  to  consider  and  to  report  on 
the  subject  during  the  present  session  of  this  body. 
The  committee  reported: 

Resolved,  That  in  the  judgment  of  this  body,  the  time  has  come 
when  a  High  School  for  the  education  of  both  sexes  should  be  estab- 
lished within  the  bounds  and  under  the  exclusive  direction  of  the  West 
New  Jersey  Baptist  Association. 


508  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  carry  out  the  objects 
embraced  in  the  foregoing  resohition,  who  shall  act  as  trustees  till  the 
next  meeting  of  the  Association. 

A  committee  of  fifteen  members  of  the  Association  was  appointed. 
From  various  items  it  was  learned  that  the  school  was  named,  "The 
South  Jersey  Institute,"  and  was  incorporated  and  located  at  Bridgeton. 
Plans  for  a  building  and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  were  reported 
in  1868  by  the  trustees.  The  building  was  completed  in  December, 
1870,  at  a  cost  of  sixty  one  thousand,  five  hundred  dollars,  leaving 
an  indebtedness  of  thirty-five  thousand  dollars.  Deacon  H.  J.  Mulford 
gave  the  grounds,  twenty  acres.  The  school  opened  October  .^th, 
1870,  with  eleven  students.  The  number,  ere  long  increased  to  forty- 
seven.  An  annual  increase  w-as  maintained  till  in  1890,  the  school  num- 
bered two  hundred  and  fifteen.  In  1891,  an  effort  was  made  for  an 
endowTTient  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  amount  was  completed 
in  1897.  The  American  Education  Society  donating  ten  thousand 
dollars  of  the  sum  A  cheering  feature  of  the  school  has  been  the 
permanency  of  its  principal,  Mr.  Trask.  He  resigned  in  1899,  having 
administered  its  affairs  for  thirty  years  and  won  universal  and  in- 
creasing respect  for  his  attainments  and  management  in  all  of  this 
period.  He  also  shared  in  the  confidence  and  appreciation  of  all 
associated  with  him.  New  Jersey  Baptists  have  thus  maintained  their 
early  characteristic  of  advanced  educational  proclivities.  A  serious 
hindrance  to  local  growth  in  educational  facilities  has  been  lack  of 
concentration,  whereby  Baptist  churches  failed  in  mutual  helpfulness 
that  might  have  remedied  the  calamity  of  the  removal  of  Hopewell 
school.  Another  reason,  was  the  calls  for  help  from  New  Jersey  by 
both  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  to  relieve  their  straits. 

Lewisburg  would  hardly  have  been,  but  for  the  aid  of  New  Jersey 
and  Hamilton  (now  Colgate)  was  asserted  by  President  Kendrick, 
Prof.  Eaton  and  Mr.  Edmunds,  to  have  exhausted  its  resources  in 
New  York  State.  Care  for  the.se  schools  cost  New  Jersey  Baptists 
large  sums  and  enwrapped  their  attention  from  home  needs.  The 
Honeywell  and  Allison  schools  served  them  for  awhile  and  made  them 
content.  Other  movements  in  the  state  also  relieved  them  of  re- 
sponsibility. Hamilton  was  not  founded  till  1820,  nearly  seventy 
years  after  Hopewell  and  fortj^-two  years  after  both  the  Allison  and 
Honeywell  were  begun  and  nine  years  after  New  Jersey  was  free  to 
act  in  her  own  behalf,  1811.  Lewisburg  was  not  undertaken  till  1840 
and  it  is  a  question  if  the  proposal  would  have  been  countenanced,  but 
for  the  purpose  of  Eugenio  Kincaid,  whom  the  writer  recalls,  was 
determined  to  awaken  Pennsylvania  Baptists  to  a  consciousness  of 


EDUCATION  509 

their  chiefest  need.  The  early  colonial  f;;overnnient  of  New  Y'ork  and 
of  New  Jersey  being  under  the  Holland  government,  had  advantage 
of  other  colonies  in  that  its  administration  was  in  alliance  with  edu- 
cational movements.  Not  only  the  government,  but  the  population, 
Quakers,  Swedes  and  Hollanders,  were  moved  with  a  like  impulse 
to  educate,  thus  population  and  government  were  in  hearty  sympathy. 


9^ 


CHAPTER  LX. 


TEMPERANCE    AND  ANTINOMIANISM. 

Literally  temperance  is  alistinence  from  excess,  whether  it  be 
eating,  drinking,  style,  dress,  pleasures,  amusement  or  business.  Such 
is  the  Bible  idea  as  expressed  in  I  Cor.  9:25,  "And  every  man  that 
striveth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things."  Self  restraint 
is  the  law  of  attainment.  Felix  possibly  trembled  most  under  Paul's 
appeal  for  "temperance."  His  self  conceits  shrink  his  imrighteousness 
to  the  narrowest  limit.  But  intemperance  of  passion  and  of  appetite 
was  an  every  day  offense.  Latterly,  temperance  is  applied  to  aostinence 
from  intoxicants,  including  its  sale  and  manufacture. 

In  October,  1788,  Baptists  were  represented  by  the  Philadelphia 
Association,  having  delegates  from  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsyl- 
vania, Delaware  and  Maryland.  They  adopted  the  following  resolution: 

"Resolved,  This  Association  taking  into  consideration  the  ruinous 
effects  of  the  abuse  of  distilled  liquors  throughout  this  country,  we 
take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  our  hearty  concurrence  with  our 
brethren  of  other  religious  societies  in  discountenancing  the  use  of 
them  in  the  future,  and  earnestly  entreat  our  brethren  and  friends 
to  use  all  of  their  influence  to  that  end,  both  in  their  own  families  and 
neighborhood." 

This  meeting  of  the  Association  included  fifty-four  churches,  of 
which  twenty -four  were  in  New  Jersey.  Apparently,  the  action  was 
unanimous,  It  was  needful  to  use  gentle  words  in  the  resolution,  for 
the  habit  of  the  use  of  into.xicants  was  universal.  Ministers  and 
children,  wives  and  daughters  were  regarded  with  suspicion  if  they 
declined  indulgence  in  the  universal  habit.  It  is  historically  stated 
that:  "The  Morristown  church,  from  its  organization  in  1752,  to  the 
present,  has  battled  with  this  monster  evil,  being  a  temperance  society 
on  Gospel  principles;"  an  explanatory  statement  being  made  in  this 
connection;  "A  wholesome  discipline  was  exercised  and  most  promi- 
nent among  causes  of  discipline  was  intemperance."  Had  the  same 
minutia  of  record  prevailed  in  other  churches,  the  same  could  have 
been  said  of  them.  It  was  true  of  both  Hightstown  and  of  First  Cam- 
den. 

The  drinking  of  alcoholic  liquors  was  a  universal  vice.  The  first 
record  of  action  on  the  subject  of  temperance  came  to  us  from  early 
times,  was  that  at  First  Cape  May  church  in  1771,  and  it  was:  "The 


TEMPERANCE  511 

church  conchided  in  1771,  that  no  member  should  by  any  means  sign 
a  tavern  license."  This  was  going  to  the  root  of  the  question.  There 
is  also,  in  the  minute  book  of  the  church,  this  disciplinary  action, 
indicating  the  reality  of  the  convictions  of  the  members.  In  1775, 
members  "came  to  the  meeting,  and  some  of  the  members,  not  having 
freedom  to  sit  down,  by  reason  of  divers  reports  of  drinking  strong 
drink  to  excess,  was  desired  not  to  sit  at  communion,  till  that  affair 
could  be  sifted."  This  means  prompt  discipline  upon  "reports  of 
excess."  The  members  of  First  Cape  May  Baptist  church  were  quite 
up  to  the  Temperance  ideas  of  nearly  a  century  later.  Of  the  churches, 
First  Bridgeton  Baptist  church,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  J.  C. 
Harrison  in  April  1831,  adopted  a  rule  making  total  abstinence  a  test 
of  membership.  Borden towTi  in  1832,  "resolved  that  entire  abstinence 
from  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  be  and  is  hereby,  declared  to  be  a  con- 
dition of  membership  and  communion  with  this  church."  The  church 
was  at  this  time  destitute  of  a  pastor  and  this  action  could  not  be, 
owing  to  his  influence.  The  action  of  the  church  and  from  other 
sources  of  information  is  known  to  have  been  unanimous. 

Rahway  Baptist  church  organized  in  March,  1833,  was  the  first 
Baptist  church  constituted  on  the  basis  of  total  abstinence  as  a  con- 
dition of  membership.  This  church  was  also  pastorless  and  the  de- 
termination of  its  constituents  to  make  it  exclusively  a  temperance 
body  was  wholly  their  own.  In  1834,  Second  Cape  May  and  Vincen- 
town  Baptist  churches  were  organized  with  the  condition  of  total 
abstinence  as  a  term  of  membership.  The  earliest  associational  action, 
was  by  the  West  New  Jersey  Association  in  1830,  in  which  the  churches 
were  "recommended  to  unite  their  efforts  to  discontinue  the  use  of 
ardent  liquors  and  to  advise  their  members  to  abstain  from  retailing 
distilled  spirits."  Four  years  later,  1834,  the  churches  were  advised 
"to  exclude  persons  who  persisted  in  the  sale,  use  and  manufacture 
of  intoxicants."  New  Jersey  Baptist  churches  were  in  a  majority  in 
the  New  York  Association  in  1851,  when  that  body  acted  for  the  first 
on  temperance. 

Pastor  D.  T.  Hill  of  First  Plainfield  introduced  the  subject;  Pastor 
Dodge  of  Piscataway  was  appointed  a  committee  to  whom  the  matter 
was  referred  and  he  offered  the  following:  "This  Association  *  *  *  * 
entreat  all  of  our  brethren  to  observe  a  total  abstinence  from  ardent 
spirits."  This  amiable  protest  was  such  as  was  anticipated  from 
Pastor  Dodge.  New  things  and  ways  in  religious  matters  were  not 
congenial  to  him.  At  this  time,  many  ministers  and  pastors  were 
indulging  in  the  moderate  use  of  liquors,  especially  in  the  country 
churches,  where  the  farmers  made  their  own  drinks  and  the  temperance 


512  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

cause  was  promoted  i)y  kindly  words  of  suggestion.  Habit,  custom  and 
the  usages  of  social  life  are  bonds  of  steel,  even  though  there  were  few 
families  to  which  the  curse  of  intemperance  had  not  come  with  its 
awful  blight.  To-day,  if  any  Baptist  church  (except  anti- 
nomian  churches)  should  allow  the  use  of  intoxicants  to  its  members 
it  would  be  universal!}^  disfellowshipped.  The  first  temperance  sermon 
known  to  have  been  preached  in  Monmouth  County  was  in  "the  Upper 
Meeting  house"  (Holmdel)  by  Pastor  T.  Roberis  of  the  Middletovm 
Baptist  church  from  I  Cor.  10:15,  "I  speak  as  to  wise  men;  judge  ye 
what  I  say."  A  deep  impression  was  made  by  the  discourse  and 
many  from  then  adopted  the  practice  of  total  abstinence. 

Pastor  W.  D.  Hires  nurtured  the  convictions  of  the  "Upper  Con- 
gregation" and  it  became  one  of  the  stanch  influences  of  Monmouth 
County  for  temperance.  The  sermon  of  Mr.  Roberts  and  the  influence 
of  his  successors  on  "The  Lower  and  the  Upper  Congregations,"  explains 
the  wide  difference  of  their  ideas  of  temperance.  Two  large  colonies 
went  out  from  the  "Lower  Congregation"  at  Middletown  village  on 
acount  of  their  divergence  from  the  majority  on  the  temperance 
question.  One  became  Second  Middleto^vTi  church  and  a  total  absti- 
nence church.  The  other  was  constituted  the  Port  Monmouth  church 
also  a  total  abstinence  church.  From  about  1835  to  1845  the  tem- 
perance forces  in  New  Jersey  attained  a  very  positive  influence,  both 
in  the  political  field  and  with  the  state  officials. 

All  denominations  and  moral  influences  were  a  unit  and  politicians 
found  it  necessary  to  pay  respect  to  the  temperance  element,  especially 
in  nominating  men  who  were  known  as  good  men,  with  the  result 
whichever  party  triumphed,  safe  men  were  in  office.  Temperance 
was  not  isolated  to  a  third  party  and  was  a  target  for  all  political  bodies 
and  all  of  the  bad  elements  of  the  community  to  outrage  and  vent  their 
vileness  on.  Prohibition  was  an  accepted  possibility.  The  sentiment 
of  morality  and  of  virtue  was  the  plea  on  which  temperance  was  com- 
mended and  had  its  advocates  in  all  parties.  An  alliance  of  the  liquor 
interest  with  corruptionists  and  the  bad  elements  of  society  was  im- 
possible; for  there  was  not  a  party  to  battle  against  and  there  good 
and  true  in  all  parties  whose  sympathies  were  with  the  temperance 
reform.  There  is  now  an  acceptance  of  the  doctrine  that  total  absti- 
nence from  intoxicants  is  a  principle  of  piety.  This  triumph  is  a  trophy 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  Before  1800,  and  long  after  social  custom 
made  intoxicants  a  test  of  hospitality.  To  refuse  its  proffer  was  an 
affront  and  rude.  Pastors  and  all  others  were  subjected  to  the  temp- 
tation to  excess.  Clergymen  recognized  as  an  honor  to  their  calling 
were  ofttimes  ensnared  by  "drink"  and  in  several  instances  were  ex- 


TEMPERANCE  513 

eluded  by  the  church  of  which  they  were  pastors.  At  a  funeral  of  an 
eminent  Baptist  minister,  another  pastor  of  high  repute,  a  foremost 
man  of  his  denominational  assemljlies  and  special  friend  of  the  man 
who  had  died,  was  intoxicated.  The  incident  was  told  to  the  writer 
bv  his  mother,  who  was  at  the  funeral  and  saw  the  whole  affair.  As 
the  funeral  left  the  sanctuary,  for  the  burial,  this  pastor  rode  on  his 
horse  at  the  head  of  the  procession  to  the  grave,  shouting  and  swing- 
ing his  hat  about  his  head  and  djishing  into  a  side  track  as  the  funeral 
passed  by,  would  rise  in  the  stirrups  and  shout  words  of  glee  and 
drunken  revelry.  In  justice,  it  is  due  to  be  said  that  when  his  delirium 
was  over  and  he  had  been  told  of  his  conduct,  his  remorse  was  very 
great  and  he  vowed  never  again  to  touch  the  accursed  thing.  He  kept 
his  vow  and  at  his  death  was  conceded  to  be  the  good  man  he  was. 

Another  significant  instance  of  the  ideas  of  people  on  temperance 
in  the  earlier  days  was  supplied  to  the  writer  by  Rev.  William  Watkin- 
son,  pastor  at  Hamilton  Square  Baptist  church,  touching  a  legend  of 
former  days.  He  writes:  "As  regards  the  tavern  question,  when  I 
settled  in  1863,  almost  one  of  the  first  things  I  was  told  was  that  I  was- 
entitled  to  a  Sunday  morning  dram  at  the  hotel."  This  was  a  common 
remark  made  to  me  by  all  the  older  families  in  the  church  at  that  time. 
I  was  told  that  when  a  member  of  the  church  sold  the  tavern  property, 
he  put  this  proviso  in  the  deed,  that  the  minister  of  the  Baptist  church 
should  have  his  Sunday  morning  dram  free. 

"The  only  pastors  that  availed  themselves  of  this  liberty,  Peter 
Wilson  and  John  Seger,  so  far  as  I  know."  Some  of  the  revered  and 
most  useful  pastors  of  the  earUer  days  were  snared  in  this  net  of  Satan 
and  it  is  well  to  know  of  their  ensnarement  through  the  universal  vicious 
customs  of  social  life.  Times  have  changed.  WTiat  was  once  a  viol- 
ation of  social  etiquette  is  now  a  token  of  Christian  character  and  an 
instance  of  how  effectually  Christianity  modifies  social  life.  First, 
the  person,  then  the  home  and  then  social  life.  Among  Baptists,  fore- 
most in  this  reform  was  Samuel  Aaron  and  after  him,  C.  W.  Mulford, 
until  there  was  a  concert  of  conviction  in  both  the  pews  and  the  pulpit. 
Ere  long,  came  a  wonderful  unanimity  to  get  rid  of  this  cause  of  uni- 
versal woe.  Antinomianism  and  the  drink  habit  being  in  alliance, 
North  New  Jersey  lingered  behind  central  and  south  New  Jersey. 
But  Zelotes  Grenelle,  the  Teasdales  and  the  Barrass  brothers  won 
victories  in  the  overthrow  of  the  allied  forces  of  evil.  The  writer  has 
seen  in  his  father's  house,  Rev.  W.  T.  Brantley,  Sr.,  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia,  when  calling,  help  himself  to  a 
drink  at  the  sideboard  where  divers  liquors  were  always  pro- 
vided. 


514  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HIST(3RY 

ANTINOMIANISjM. 

In  America,  we  have  numerous  Baptist  families.  The  regular 
Baptists  outnumber  all  others  and  are  the  most  numerous  sect  in  the 
United  States,  with  one  exception,  who  if  they  include  probationers 
in  their  summary  are  less  in  number  to  Baptists.  Prof.  A.  H.  New- 
man of  McMaster  University,  Canada,  has  written  a  remarkably 
clear,  comprehensive  and  reliable  history  of  Baptists  in  the  United 
States.  Regular  Baptists  are  derived  from  the  Welsh  Baptists,  who 
were  said  to  have  had  an  apostolic  planting.  For  this  we  do  not  vouch. 
However,  the  early  Baptists  ministers  in  the  colonies  were  chiefly  of 
Welsh  origin.  The  Morgans,  Jones,  Edwards,  Griffiths,  Davis'  and 
Evans  knew  what  constituted  a  Baptist  church  and  were  intensely 
jealous  to  preserve  it  and  hand  it  to  their  children  uncontaminated 
with  the  "isms"  of  the  continent. 

They  were  high  toned  Calvinists  and  the  churches  were  educated 
to  prefer  "strong  meat."  An  inkling  that  a  preacher  was  lowering 
the  standard  stirred  the  pew^  as  much  as  the  pulpit  and  there  was  no 
alternative  for  him  but  to  prove  his  orthodoxy  or  to  retire.  Pastor 
William  Parkinson  states  in  a  historical  sermon  of  the  First  Baptist 
church  in  New  York  City  that  a  General  Baptist  church  had  been 
formed  in  the  city,  but  the  regular  Baptists  withheld  their  support  and 
it  died,  showing  the  unwillingness  of  Baptists  to  lower  the  Calvinistic 
standard.  Under  pastors  who  nurtured  intense  con\'ictions  and  a 
companionship  that  cherished  them,  it  is  not  strange  that  their  views 
became  Hyper  Calvinistic.  StiU  in  both  cities  and  country,  piety 
impelled  the  use  of  means  and  the  forming  of  mission  societies,  if  pos- 
sible to  save  some.  But  care  was  essential  lest  the  work  of  God  be 
taken  out  of  his  hands  and  some  one  got  to  Heaven  who  was  not  elected 
or  that  some  one  missed  salvation,  who  had  been  elected.  Thus,  under 
the  ministration  of  Parkinson  of  New  York;  Staughton  and  the  Joneses 
of  Philadelphia,  our  churches  came  to  the  verge  of  antinomianism. 
The  decrees  of  God  narrowed  room  for  faith  and  prayer.  It  is  im- 
possible for  one  who  has  not  been  in  contact  with  the  flood  and  ebb 
tide  of  antinomiansim  in  New  Jersey  and  the  middle  states  to  know 
or  to  believe  how  strong  it  was,  nor  to  put  too  high  an  estimate  on  the 
patience,  kindness  and  persistence  of  men  whom  God  called  to  overcome 
the  Hyper  Calvinism  of  pew  and  of  pulpit. 

It  was  a  test  by  which  the  young  convert  and  the  preacher  were 
each  tried.  The  brothers,  Thomas  and  John  Teasdale  in  North  Jersey; 
Zelotes  Crenelle,  G.  S.  Webb,  Thomas  Roberts,  Joseph  Sheppard,  C. 
Bartolett  in  Central  New  Jersey;  C.  W.  Mulford,  Dr.  Bacon  and  H. 
Smalley  in  South  Jersey  are  worthy  of  constant  remembrance  and  are 


ANTINOMIANISM  515 

entitled  to  a  lofty  place  in  our  histories.  To  Rev.  H.  Holcombe,  pastor 
of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Philadelphia,  it  was  providentially 
assigned  to  mortally  wound  this  octopus  in  his  memorable  sermon 
on  "The  Attainableness  of  Faith."  He  was  denounced  as  a  heretic. 
His  own  church  officers  repudiated  him  and  constituted  another  church 
and  all  the  host,  who  had  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Sovereignty, 
the  length  and  breadth  of  their  ideas,  arranged  themselves  against 
him,  led  on  by  his  jealous  predecessor,  who  found  in  Holcombe  a  man 
whom  he  could  not  mould  or  modify.  In  the  earlier  days  in  the  South 
some  ministers  were  wealthy.  Mr.  Holcombe  was  one  of  them.  As 
is  indicated  by  his  gift  to  an  educational  school,  which  Baptists  were 
founding,  which  Holcombe  guaranteed  if  sold,  would  return  twenty- 
six  thousand  dollars  toward  a  building  fund.  Mr.  Holcoml)e  was 
chosen  first  president  of  this  school. 

Prof.  Newman  writes  of  him,  that  he  was  a  calvary  officer  before 
he  was  twenty-one  in  1782,  converted  when  twenty-two,  he  began 
to  exhort.  His  first  sermon  was  preached  on  horse  back  to  his  troops; 
made  a  Baptist  by  the  New  Testament,  he  rode  twenty  miles  to  be 
baptized.  He  was  a  member  of  the  convention  that  approved  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States.  He  was  prevailed  on  to  undertake 
work  in  Savannah,  where  a  number  of  Baptists  resided  and  various 
efforts  had  failed  to  found  a  Baptist  church.  A  Baptist  church  of 
ten  members  beside  himself  and  wife  was  organized  in  November,  1800. 
He  remained  here,  called  to  Philadelphia  and  received  a  salary  of 
two  thousand  dollars  a  year,  probably  the  largest  salary  up  to  that 
time,  ever  received  by  a  Baptist  minister.  Prof.  Newman  adds:  "As 
a  pulpit  orator,  ^^Titer,  organizer  and  originator  of  schemes  for  the 
advancement  of  the  denominational  work,  he  deserves  to  be  placed 
side  by  side  with  his  friend,  Richard  Furman,  as  one  of  the  ablest  men 
of  his  time.  He  is  said  to  have  originated  the  Georgia  Penitentiary 
system  and  to  have  led  in  founding  the  Savannah  Female  Orphan 
Asylum. 

He  was  the  first  to  advocate  and  plan  for  concerted  denominational 
action  in  education  and  missions.  He  seems  to  have  been  the  first 
among  American  Baptists  to  publish  a  religious  periodical.  {The 
Analytical  Repository,  1802,  1803).  Thus,  everywhere  and  in  all 
things  Henry  Holcombe  was  a  foremost  man.  His  coming  to  Phila- 
delphia was  a  special  Providence  in  the  history  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination in  America.  When  Staughton  first  met  Holcombe  in  the 
streets  of  Philadelphia,  Staughton  exclaimed,  "Do  you  come  for  peace 
or  war?"  Holcombe  protested  that  he  was  a  peace  man.  Staughton 
then   said:   "Exchange   pulpits   with   me   next  Sunday."     Holcombe 


516  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

replied:  "I  must  consult  with  the  deacons  on  the  matter."  For  he 
knew  Staughton  had  been  dismissed.  Then  Staughton  exclaimed 
"Then  it  is  war,  and  it  shall  be  war  to  the  knife!"  His  physician 
when  returned  from  Holcombe's  death  bed  in  answer  to  the  question 
"What  is  the  matter  with  our  pastor?"  replied:  "Nothing,  physically. 
He  is  dying  with  a  broken  heart."  Pastor  Holcombe  was  one  of  the 
most  tender  hearted  and  self  restrained  of  men.  None  ever  saw  him 
angry,  nor  yielding  to  passion  or  temper  except  in  condemnation  of 
wrong.  Then  he  was  a  "terror  to  evil  doers."  Then,  like  to  his  Mas- 
ter, he  spoke  plainly  as  in  Matt.  23,  13-35.  An  antinomian  movement 
had  been  ripening  since  the  organization  of  the  now  American  Baptist 
Missionary  Union  in  1814,  then  kno'wn   as  the  Triennial  Convention. 

The  whole  division  arose  not  on  the  organization  of  a  mission 
society,  but  upon  the  question  of  Christian  activity  involved  in  the 
last  commission  of  Christ:  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature."  To-day,  we  are  a  missionary  people  and 
the  denomination  may  well  rejoice  for  a  man  who  foresaw  the  future 
and  turned  the  tide  for  God  and  humanity.  Many  Baptist  churches 
in  New  Jersey  have  been  swept  into  the  vortex  of  antinomianism. 
Two  of  them  survive,  one  of  them  a  fruitful  mother  until  swept  from 
her  moorings  in  the  Gospel. 

An  entire  association  in  North  Jersey  has  been  broken  up  and 
the  antinomian  body  has  itself  passed  away.  The  wreck  of  churches 
was  not,  however,  the  chief  evil  issuing  from  the  antinomian  plague. 
It  diffused  itself  widely,  often  constituting  large  minorities  to  stir 
up  contention  and  to  paralyze  Christian  actiA'ities  and  unseat  devoted 
and  earnest  pastors.  Evils  that  cost  generations  of  time  to  recover 
from.  Rev.  L.  O.  Grenelle,  son  of  Zelotes  Grenelle,  who  had  a  vast 
share  in  staying  the  flood  of  antinomianism  in  North  Jersey,  uTiting 
of  the  history  of  that  period,  says:  "Painful  in  contrast  with  sixty 
years  ago,  is  the  condition  of  our  denomination  in  North  Jersey.  From 
being  the  strongest  and  most  efficient  there  it  has  been  outstripped 
by  others  and  is  now  third  on  the  list.  Nor  is  the  outlook  encouraging 
to  a  hope  of  regaining  what  we  have  lost."  The  reflex  influence  of  the 
antinomian  influence,  has  been  exceedingly  bad  on  the  churches  that 
formerly  held  to  the  missionary  cause.  The  Warwick  Association 
still  has  an  existence  as  an  antinomian  body.  But  it  is  composed  of 
only  six  churches,  one  of  which  is  in  New  York  City.  The  Brookfield 
church  then  numbered  three  hundred  and  forty  members.  In  1883  it 
had  only  six  members.     Nor  has  it  had  a  pastor  for  twenty  years. 

The  Franklin  and  Mt.  Salem  churches  have  ceased  to  exist.  But 
three   churches   having   any   strength   renjain.     The   regular   Baptist 


ANTINOMIANISM  517 

strength  is  a  painful  record.  Many  churches  are  feeble,  some 
scarcely  able  to  sustain  a  pastor.  Great  progress  has  been  made 
in  all  outside  material  interests,  so  that  the  relative  strength  of  our 
denomination  is  far  behind.  One  church  then  the  largest,  in  the  state 
has  become  very  feeble  and  others,  once  efficient  are  now  struggling 
to  maintain  an  existence. 

Antinomianism  diffused  itself  as  a  death  shade  begetting  dissention 
and  contention  and  the  disciples  of  the  Gospel  of  peace  sought  refuge 
in  quietude.  Other  denominations  maintained  peace  and  grew  as 
Baptists  shrank  in  number,  power  and  efficiency.  This  blight  extended 
west  to  the  borders  of  the  state.  It  reached  southward  till  it  met  the 
stanch  strongholds  of  Baptist  integrity  at  Scotch  Plains,  Plainfield, 
Piscataway  and  New  Brunswick,  where  it  was  stayed.  Morristown 
resisted  the  seduction,  but  the  church  isolated  from  other  Baptist 
churches  repelled  the  desolation  only  by  the  intense  integrity  of  the 
main  body  of  the  church.  Nevertheless,  it  was  badly  hurt  by  the 
baleful  miasm  which  had  so  seriously  tainted  the  surrounding  churches. 
As  already  said,  Pastor  Holcombe's  sermon  stayed  the  strength  and 
courage  and  gave  to  others  a  barrier  against  which  the  angry  waves 
of  Hyper  Cahnnism  and  Arminianism  beat  only  to  be  hurled  back  on 
themselves.  Baptists  cannot  be  too  grateful  for  the  courage  and 
clear  foresight  of  him  who,  as  the  David  of  the  Baptist  Israel,  smote  to 
the  death  the  giant  which,  if  it  did  not  defy  God,  perverted  the  truth  and 
led  captive  many  of  our  choice  men  and  women  and  turned  fruit  fields 
of  Zion,  ripening  into  harvest,  into  a  Sahara  desert,  where  ttie  living 
verdure  died  and  none  followed  it. 


9Nii 


CHAPTER  LXI. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  OF 
NEW  JERSEY. 


By  0.  B.  Leonard. 

Seventh  day  Baptists  sprang  from  the  Sabbath  keepers  of  the 
middle  ages.  Probably  the  origin  of  the  denomination  as  a  continuous 
body  can  be  placed  no  earlier  than  about  1400  and  was  transferred 
to  America,  in  Rhode  Island  in  1664-65,  and  earliest  showed  itself  in 
Newport,  R.  I.,  in  1644.  The  first  Seventh  Daj^  Baptist  church  was 
established  in  midwinter  in  Newport  in  1671.  It  is  said  that  in  the 
province  of  Rhode  Island,  there  were  adherents  of  that  faith  at  its 
early  settlement  contemporary  with  the  founding  of  the  first  Baptist 
church. 

The  denomination  appeared  in  New  Jersey  first  in  Piscataway, 
when  East  Jersey  was  sold  to  William  Penn  in  1682,  and  there  came 
into  the  colony  many  Scotch,  English,  and  Irish.  Among  these  were 
numerous  Quakers  and  Ana  Baptists.  There  were  also  a  large  incom- 
ing of  New  Englanders.  The  agitation  of  the  subject  about  1687  in 
Permsylvania,  prepared  the  way  for  its  introduction  into  New  Jersey. 
There  was  a  decided  tendency  to  Baptist  and  Quaker  ideas  in  these 
discussions.  The  first  movement  for  a  Baptist  church  was  in  Middle- 
town,  New  Jersey,  as  early  as  1667,  and  some  believe  earlier  in  1664. 
Elias  Keach  of  Philadelphia  founded  a  Baptist  church  at  Penepack  as 
early  as  1688.  Many  of  various  religious  relations  came  to  Pennsyl- 
vania. These  all  inclined  to  Baptist  and  Quakers.  The  Quakers 
especially  in  New  Jersey,  having  had  meetings  long  before  Penn  came 
to  America.  Mr.  E.  Keach  showed  a  good  deal  of  activity  in  preach- 
ing despite  troubles  made  by  Mr.  William  Davis  near  to  1691,  who 
became  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist. 

With  him,  Thomas  Rutter  allied  himself  about  1698.  Mr.  Rutter 
also  had  relations  to  the  Seventh  Day  people  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  and 
through  their  influence,  Mr.  Rutter  maintained  his  standing  much 
longer,  had  he  not  had  their  influence.  He  died  in  1729.  Abel 
Noble  was  another  of  these  men,  disturbing  Baptist  assemblies.  Later 
however,  the  agitation  of  the  Sabbath  question  in  Pennsylvania  in- 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  519 

duced  its  consideration  in  New  Jersey.  About  1700,  the  Seventh  Day 
question  appeared  in  the  Piscataway  church,  and  it  seems  that  Davis 
and  Noble  were  active  to  influence  its  members  to  side  with  them  in 
their  Seventh  Day  views.  Abel  Noble  is  said  to  have  first  preached 
Sabbatarianism  in  New  Jersey,  about  and  before  1700,  whether  at  Pis- 
cataway or  not,  as  yet,  is  unknown.  However,  Mr.  Edmund  Dunham 
adopted  Sabbatarian  views  and  used  his  influence  to  persuade  others 
of  their  correctness.  Mr.  Dunham  was  an  influential  man  and  of  the 
best  repute  among  his  neighbors. 

He  sustained  meetings  in  his  own  house  and  seventeen  individuals 
adopted  his  views.  The  controversy  with  his  brother  resulted  in  the 
adoption  of  the  views  of  Mr.  Dunham  by  his  brother.  Finally,  the 
Seventh  Day  people  concluded  that  they  better  withdraw.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  following  minute  shows  the  steps  toward  a  public  recog- 
nition and  organization  of  the  original  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  in 
New  Jersey:  "The  church  of  God,  keeping  the  commandments  of  God 
and  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  living  in  Piscataway  and  Hopewell,  in 
the  province  of  New  Jersey,  being  assembled  with  one  accord  at  the 
house  of  Benjamin  Martin  in  Piscataway,  the  19th  day  of  August, 
1705,  we  did  then  and  with  one  mind,  choose  our  dearly  beloved 
Edmund  Dunham,  who  is  faithful  in  the  Lord,  to  be  our  Elder  and 
assistant,  according  to  the  will  of  God,  whom  we  did  send  to  New 
England  to  be  ordained,  who  was  ordained  at  the  church  meeting 
in  Westerly,  R.  I.,  by  prayer  and  laying  on  of  hands  by  their  elder, 
William  Gibson,  the  eighth  day  of  September,  1705." 

After  adopting  an  outline  of  doctrines,  embracing  a  few  articles 
of  faith,  the  following  seventeen  persons,  besides  the  leader,  forming 
the  constituency  of  the  new  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  signed  their 
names  to  the  covenant:  Edmund  Dunham,  pastor,  and  his  wife,  Mary 
Bonham  Dunham;  Benajah  Dunham,  pastor's  son  and  his  wife  and 
daughter,  Dorothy  Martin  Dunham.  Five  other  constituent  members 
of  this  new  society  were  Mr.  Dunham's  two  brothers-in-law,  John 
Fitz  Randolph  and  Hezekiah  Bonham;  among  the  rest  were  the 
latter's  father-in-law,  Hugh  Dunn  and  John  Smalley,  whose  son  mar- 
ried Edmund  Dunham's  daughter.  Last,  but  not  least,  was  Rev. 
John  Drake,  who  became  later  the  first  official  pastor  of  the  regular 
Baptist  church.  The  Piscataway  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  pros- 
pered from  the  start  under  Rev.  Mr.  Dunham's  guidance,  notwith- 
standing several  depletions  by  colonies  migrating  to  other  places. 
His  son,  Jonathan,  succeeded  him  in  the  care  of  the  church,  1734,  and 
led  the  society  along  with  varying  numbers  till  the  days  of  the  Amer- 
cian  Revolution.     In  his  ministry,  there  were  two  hindrances  to  its 


520  NEW  JERSEY  BAPIST  HISTORY 

increase.  The  influence  of  Armenianism  and  the  devastation  of  war. 
In  1734,  was  called  bj'  the  church  to  the  office  of  Deacon,  for  which  he 
was  formally  ordained  November,  2nd,  1734,  at  the  house  of  Jonathan 
Davis,  near  Trenton. 

The  church  met  for  worship  in  private  dwellings  until  1736,  when 
a  meeting  house  was  built  on  a  lot  donated  bj'  Jonathan  Fitz  Randolph. 
This  building  lasted  till  1802,  when  a  new  church  edifice  was  erected 
on  the  same  lot  and  served  the  generation  till  1836,  when  their  present 
house  was  built,  and  was  moved  into  New  Market  and  remodeled  in 
1856.  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham  died  March  10th,  1777,  in  his  eighty- 
third  year.  He  was  buried  in  alotappropriatedby  himself  for  burials, 
where  also  his  wife  and  many  of  his  descendants  lie.  In  the  early  part 
of  his  ministry,  a  number  of  his  parishioners  withdrew  to  form  the 
Shiloh  church  in  Cumberland  County,  then  Salem  County.  This  was 
in  1737.  Some  of  these  were  living  in  South  Jersey.  Among  them 
were  members  of  the  families  of  Dunn,  Jarman,  Ayars  and  others, 
whose  ancestors  lived  in  Piscataway.  For  a  decade  after  the  death  of 
Mr.  Dunham,  there  was  no  settled  pastorate,  resulting  in  scattered  con- 
gregatons  and  broken  households,  on  account  of  the  seven  years'  war 
for  independence.  Many  enlisted  in  the  militia,  while  the  aged,  infirm, 
and  women  with  their  children  moved  to  the  interior  and  made  homes 
in  Sussex,  Somerset,  Hunterdon  and  Morris  counties.  In  Sussex,  a  suf- 
ficient number  settled  near  enough  together  to  maintain  public  worship. 

Nathan  Rogers  followed  Rev.  Mr.  Dunham,  a  grandson  of  the 
erratic  Pennsylvania  convert  to  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists.  Rev. 
William  Davis  and  Mr.  Rogers  lived  at  Ephrata.  After  preaching 
for  months  as  an  evangelist.  Pastor  Rogers  entered  on  his  pastoral 
office  in  November  1787  and  remained  ten  years.  In  1797,  Rev.  Henry 
McLafferty  was  pastor  for  fourteen  years.  In  1812,  Rev.  Gideon 
Wooden  was  called  to  be  pastor.  He  resigned  in  1830.  Many  ad- 
ditions were  made  to  the  church  in  his  charge.  The  sixth  pastor  was 
Rev.  William  B.  Maxson,  who  settled  in  May  1832.  While  pastor 
two  hundred  were  added  to  the  church  and  the  third  house  of  worship 
was  built  near  New  Market.  Toward  the  close  of  Mr.  Maxson's  labors 
and  after  a  large  revival,  fifty-six  were  dismissed  to  constitute  a  church 
in  Plainfield.  The  church  has  always  been  an  influential  body  in  the 
Seventh  Day  denomination.  It  has  been  a  parent  church;  the  mother 
of  several  children,  having  dismissed  constituents  to  three  other  church- 
es.    There  have  been  nine  pastors  in  New  Market  church. 

In  a  very  early  day.  Baptists  from  Holland  and  Baptists  from 
Ireland  settled  in  Salem  County.  The  Cohansie  church  was  consti- 
tuted in  1690.     The  first  Cape  May  church  was  organized  in  1712. 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  521 

A  large  majority  of  the  population  and  the  earliest  settlers  were  how- 
ever, Friends,  (Quakers)  who  with  Baptists,  were  allied  in  support  of 
the  principles  of  "Religious  Freedom"  and  "Equality  before  the  law." 
There  is  no  assurance  of  how  early  the  "Friends"  settled  in  South  Jersey. 
It  is  known  however,  that  long  before  William  Penn  came  to  America 
they  were  in  the  Jersies. 

Early  in  1700,  there  was  agitation  among  our  churches  in  South 
Jersey  on  the  question  of  the  Scriptural  Sabbath.  The  matter  even 
claimed  the  attention  of  the  Philadelphia  Association  in  1724,  also 
in  1730,  in  answer  to  a  question  from  Cohansie.  "In  case  a  member 
of  a  regular  Baptist  church  separate  himself,  on  account  of  the  Seventh 
Day  and  join  himself  to  those  the  same  for  a  Sabbath,  and  presume 
to  be  a  leader  among  the  aforesaid  Seventh  Day  people,  what  must 
the  church  do  in  such  a  case  in  order  to  discharge  their  duty?" 

By  the  spring  of  1737,  it  was  decided  among  the  Sabbatarian 
brethren  to  constitute  themselves  into  a  Gospel  church.  On  March 
27th,  1737,  these  did  form  themselves  into  the  Shiloh  church:  Elijah 
Bowen  and  Deborah,  his  wife;  John  Jarman,  Caleb  Barrett  and  Abigail 
Barrett;  Hugh  Dunn  and  Amy  Dunn  Rev.  J.  Davis,  Esther  Davis, 
Caleb  Ayars,  Jr.,  Joseph  Swinney,  Anna  Swinney,  Deborah  Swinney, 
Samuel  Davis,  Anna  Davis  and  Jean  Phillips.  In  all,  sixteen.  Rev. 
Jonathan  Davis  was  their  first  pastor,  ordained  November  26th,  1738 
and  died  February  2nd,  1769,  aged  sixty  years.  Second  pastor, 
Jonathan  Davis,  ordained  November  13th,  1768, died  July  23rd,  1785, 
in  his  34th  year.  In  1771,  a  new  brick  house  of  worship  was  built, 
iwhich  was  in  use  for  about  eighty  years  and  was  then  transformed 
into  an  academy.  Third  pastor,  Nathan  Ayars,  ordained  November 
13,  1766;  pastor  till  1802;  died  July  20th,  1811,  sixty-two  years  old 
Fourth  pastor,  John  Davis,  ordained  September  14th,  1807;  served  till 
1841,  when  he  resigned,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  While  pastor,  three 
hundred  were  baptized.  Fifth  pastor,  Azor  Estee,  serving  till  1841- 
1844. 

The  sixth  and  seventh  charges  were  in  part  an  interchangeable, 
1844-48.  Solomon  Carpenter,  1844-46;  Rev.  M.  Langworthy  Giles, 
eighth  pastor,  1846-49.  Ninth  pastor,  William  M.  Jones.  A  new 
church  edifice  built,  now  in  use,.  Tenth  pastor.  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette 
pastor,  1853-1873.  The  membership  increased  three  hundred  by 
baptism.  He  died  February  12th,  1885.  In  1873,  Rev.  Abram  H. 
Lewis  was  pastor  till  1876,  additions  sixty-four.  He  was  followed 
in  1876  by  Rev.  D.  H.  Davis,  who  was  pastor  three  years.  Rev.  Theo. 
Gardiner  began  his  charge  in  1879  and  was  pastor  eleven  years.  In 
that  time  there  were  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  additions  to  the 


522  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

church.  1890,  Rev.  Ira  L.  Cottrell  became  pastor  and  continued  for 
nine  years. 

Rev.  E.  B.  Saunders  was  pastor  from  July  8th,  1899.  The  present 
membership  of  the  church  is  three  hundred  and  thirty  and  its  past  has 
been  a  pei'iod  of  spiritual  growth  and  power.  From  the  Shiloh  church 
in  1811,  the  Marlboro  church  of  sixteen  members:  Jacob  Ayars  and 
wife,  Abigail;  Aaron  Ayars  and  wife,  Prudence;  Joshua  Ayars  and 
wife,  Keziah;  Alvin  Ayars  and  wife,  Prudence;  Elia  Ayars  and  wife, 
Rebecca;  James  and  Tamer  Ayars;  Phebe  and  Asny  Ayars,  Mrs.  Patience 
Ayars,  Ephraim  Bee,  Thomas  Bennett,  Hannah  Bacon,  Daniel  Camp- 
bell and  wife,  Abigail,  Moses  Crossley  and  wife  Catharine,  Mrs.  Abigail 
Davis,  Catharine  Campbell,  John  KeUy,  Jonathan  Wood.  Their 
present  membership  is  thirty-two. 

About  thirty  years  before  New  England  farmers  "fired  the  shot 
heard  round  the  world,"  a  small  company  of  Seventh  Day  Baptists 
from  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut  settled  in  Monmouth  County. 
They  described  themselves  as  the  scattered  remnant  of  the  little  flock 
of  Jesus  Christ  living  at  Squan,  Squankum,  Deal  in  Shrewsbury  and 
Middletown,  in  the  province  of  East  Jersey,  keeping  the  command- 
ments of  God,  particularly  that  of  his  holy  Seventh  Day  Sabbath. 
Their  church  organization  took  place  in  1745  and  the  constituency 
was  the  following:  WiUiam  Davis  and  wife,  Elizabeth;  Pavior  Davis, 
Joseph  Davis  and  wife,  Bethia;  William  Davis,  Jr.,  Joseph  Maxson, 
Judith  Babcock,  Ruth  Babcock,  Elizabteh  Brand,  Mary  Stillman, 
Judith  Davis,  wife  of  James  and  Elizabeth  Maxson;  John  Davis  and 
wife,  Elizabeth,  Clark  Davis,  Thomas  Brand.  The  three  brethren  at 
the  head  of  this  list  were  ministers.  All  the  families  lived  on  scattered 
farms  in  the  neighborhood  of  Shark  river. 

In  1775,  their  membership  was  about  three  times  as  large  as  at 
their  beginning.  Their  first  pastor  was  Rev.  John  Davis.  He  served 
the  church  six  years,  dying  in  1753,  at  the  age  of  sixty  years.  His 
ordination  had  been  on  July  12th,  1746.  After  twenty  years,  Rev. 
Jacob  Davis  became  pastor,  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1774  and  or- 
dained in  1775.  The  Revolution  broke  up  the  band.  The  pastor 
became  a  chaplain  in  the  army  and  most  of  the  male  members  enlisted. 
Those  left  had  occasional  meetings  and  continued  to  build  their  church 
edifice.  At  the  close  of  the  war,  the  membership  returned  and  a 
spiritual  awakening  was  realized.  In  August,  1789,  the  meeting 
house  was  sold  and  the  next  month,  the  majority  moved  to  West  Vir- 
ginia. The  remnant  remained  a  short  time  under  the  ministry  of  Rev. 
H.  Lafferty  and  then  moved  to  Piscataway.  Thus  closed  a  move- 
ment of  forty-four  years  of  Christian  experience  in  that  part  of  New 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  5^3 

Jersey.  The  reorganized  church  is  still  a  thriving  society  in  Salem, 
West  Virginia. 

Plainfield  church,  an  offshoot  from  Piscataway  church,  had  a  fa- 
vorable beginning  and  has  always  prospered.  Coming  to  the  place  at  the 
time  when  new  impetus  was  imparted  to  the  town,  1836-38,  the  spiritual 
interests  of  this  church  have  kept  pace  with  the  towTi's  secular  devel- 
opment. Its  constituency  was  composed  of  the  best  blood  from  the 
parent  stock,  vigorous  and  enthusiastic.  Most  of  the  membership 
were  descendants  in  family  lines  of  those  who  had  founded  the  first 
church  in  New  Jersey,  of  their  faith  in  1705  and  were  derived  from 
original  Baptists.  There  seems  to  have  been  as  many  as  fifty-five, 
stanch,  reliable  people  associated  at  Plainfield.  Up  to  1901,  there 
have  been  nine  pastors  of  able  and  strong  men,  and  supplies  as  in- 
telligent and  competent.  Such  men  as  L.  Crandel,  S.  Davidson,  J.  H. 
Cochran,  J.  Bailey,  A.  R.  Cornwall,  T.  R.  Williams,  D.  E.  Maxson, 
A.  H.  Lewis,  Arthur  E.  Manton,  A.  E.  Main  and  G.  B.  Shaw.  Prom- 
inent among  them  may  be  named,  L.  Crandell,  D.  E.  Maxson  and 
Abram  H.  Lewis.  The  labors  of  each  were  eminently  blest  and  a 
large  increase  of  the  membership.  For  more  than  a  year  previous  to 
their  public  organization,  those  living  in  Plainfield  had  purchased  a 
lot  and  built  a  meeting  house.  On  the  8th  of  February,  1836,  the 
house  was  formally  dedicatd  to  divine  service  and  on  the  next  day,  the 
Plainfield  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  was  organized  with  fifty-seven 
members. 

This  house  was  occupied  for  twenty-six  years  and  as  the  first 
spiritual  home  of  the  worshippers  was  endeared  to  all.  But  the  im- 
provements of  the  railroads  made  it  necessary  to  remove  the  house  to 
another  location.  In  1864,  a  new  site  was  bought  and  another  church 
edifice  erected  and  completed  and  occupied  in  1867.  A  parsonage 
was  also  built  on  an  adjoining  lot.  The  church  has  always  been  a 
unit  in  all  of  its  secular  and  spiritual  affairs.  In  1893-94,  it  was  decided 
to  build  a  new,  larger  and  modern  house.  This  was  made  possible 
by  the  generous  gifts  of  two  brethren.  The  result  has  been  to  erect 
a  handsome,  artistic  and  durable  structure,  the  pride  of  the  village. 
The  former  house  of  worship  built  in  1867,  was  moved  to  a  near  by 
lot  and  is  occupied  by  one  of  the  departments  of  public  schools.  In 
the  activities  of  a  consecrated  membership,  the  church  pushes  forward 
and  it  has  been  actively  useful  in  every  good  measure,  secular  and 
religious. 

A  number  withdrew  in  1845  to  aid  in  organizing  a  new  church  in 
New  York  City  and  in  1884,  the  roll  was  again  depleted  by  dismissions 
to    another    church.     The    present  membership  is  about  250.     Their 


524  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

missionary  society  was  founded  in  1842.  The  American  Sabbath 
Tract  Society  was  begun  in  1843  and  their  publishing  house  has  been 
printing  denominational  literature  since  1849.  The  education  society 
began  in  1855.  The  general  conference  among  their  churches  was 
established  in  1802-0;3.  The  associations  meet  annually.  The  whole 
number  of  churches  in  the  United  States  in  1903  was  reported  to  be 
121,  having  a  membership  of  10,709.  The  growth  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptists  in  New  Jersey  has  not  been  rapid  in  the  past  two  hundred 
years.  They  seek  more  the  development  of  truth  than  enlargement  of 
the  lines  of  a  denomination.  They  are  thoroughly  evangelical  in 
doctrine.  The  difference  with  regular  Baptists  and  themselves  is 
wholly  the  question  of  the  Sabbath.  It  is  their  purpose  to  continue 
the  Sabbath  discussion  -mtil  Christendom  ficcept.>  their  view  of  the 
divine  tp?timonv. 


CHAPTER  LXII. 


AFRO-AMERICAN  BAPTIST  CHURCHES. 

Having  been  disappointed  in  obtaining  a  history  of  the  Afro- Amer- 
ican Baptist  churehcs  in  New  Jersey,  from  one  of  their  pastors,  a  brief 
sketch  must  suffice.  Previous  to  the  last  quarter  of  the  nineteenth 
century  the  rehgious  work  among  the  colored  people  in  New  Jersey 
was  done  largely  by  the  Methodists. 

In  1862,  a  colored  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  Burlington. 
It  has  had  a  checkered  history,  and  has  always  been  weak.  They 
own  their  house  of  worship. 

The  Mount  Olive  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  Plainfield,  in 
1868.  They  have  a  meeting  house  and  parsonage,  and  have  prospered 
under  the  helpful  influence  of  the  First  Baptist  church.  Rev.  E.  E. 
Jackson  is  their  pastor.  Two  other  churches  have  been  organized 
there.  The  Calvary  church  (1898),  Rev.  Scott  Wallace,  pastor,  has  a 
substantial  church  edifice,  but  burdened  with  debt. 

In  1871,  the  Bethany  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  Newark. 
It  is  a  strong  body  and  owtis  valuable  property.  The  congregations 
are  large  and  the  Sunday-school  flourishing.  The  membership  in  1879 
was  92.  In  1903,  it  had  increased  to  411.  Rev.  R.  D.  Wynn  is  pastor. 
Five  other  churches  have  been  organized;  Mt.  Zion  in  1878,  and  in  1903, 
reported  134  members. 

In  1864,  a  colored  church  was  organized  in  Camden,  as  the  Seventh 
Baptist  church.  It  has  been  a  prosperous  body  and  for  many  years, 
enjoyed  the  faithful  labors  of  Rev.  Moses  Wilcox.  In  1903,  it  reported 
a  membership  of  286,  pastor,  Rev.  J.  T.  Plenty.  It  owns  its  house 
of  worship.  Two  other  churches  have  since  come  into  existence:  Mt. 
Zion,  Rev.  S.  G.  Smith,  pastor,  and  St.  John  (1894),  Rev.  G.  E.  Hughes, 
pastor. 

The  Salem  Baptist  church  in  Jersey  City  started  in  1872.  Rev. 
R.  A.  Motley  has  been  pastor  for  many  years  and  is  stiU  pastor.  The 
field  is  large,  but  their  house  of  worship  is  too  small  for  either  their 
church  or  Sunday-school  work.  The  church,  however,  is  accomplish- 
ing much,  and  -with  better  facilities  could  do  much  more.  Two  other 
churches  have  been  organized,  the  Bethesda,  in  1890,  Rev.  J.  C.  Butler, 
pastor.  The  membership  in  1903  was  82,  and  the  Monumental,  Rev. 
W.  S.  Smith,  pastor. 


526  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

In  1876,  the  Ebenezer  Baptist  church,  New  Brunswick  was  organ- 
ized. Rev.  WilUam  Wallace  became  pastor  and  served  several  years 
Rev.  A.  G.  Young  followed  and  for  many  years,  the  church  prospered 
under  his  care.  Rev.  E.  W.  Roberts  is  now  (1904)  pastor.  The  church 
has  a  good  edifice. 

About  1884,  a  colored  church  was  organized  at  Paterson,  under  the 
name  of  Calvary  Baptist  church.  Its  pastor  is  Rev.  O.  L.  Simmons. 
It  has  house  of  worship.  In  1885,  Mt.  Zion  Baptist  church  was  organ- 
ized at  Salem.  This  has  always  been  a  struggling  body.  In  1903, 
it  reported  173  members,  pastor.  Rev.  J.  N.  HoUey. 

About  1865,  several  colored  persons  in  Elizabeth  were  baptized 
by  Rev.  G.  W.  Clark.  >Several  years  later,  these,  with  others,  who 
had  come  from  the  South,  were  organized  as  the  Fourth  Baptist  church. 
The  Shiloh  church  was  organized  in  1879.  In  a  re-arrangement  of  the 
colored  churches  of  the  city  the  Fourth  church  disbanded,  and  the 
Union  church  started  in  1891.  Since  that  time,  the  Shiloh  and  Union 
churches  have  prospered.  They  owti  their  houses  of  worship,  and 
exert  a  strong  influence  upon  their  race  in  the  city.  Considerable 
property  is  ov^Tied  by  the  members  of  these  churches.  Rev.  J.  H. 
Bailey  had  a  long  pastorate  at  the  Union  church.  Rev.  W.  P.  Lawrence 
was  pastor  in  1903,  and  Rev.  W.  H.  Taylor,  of  the  Shiloh  church. 

There  have  been  several  churches  in  Asbury  Park  since  1885, 
when  the  Second  church  was  organized,  and  Rev.  R.  A.  Bolen  became 
pastor  and  continues  till  the  present  time.  In  1896,  the  Mt.  Moriah 
church  was  organized  under  pastor  W.  H.  Wallace,  who  still  continues 
in  the  same  relation.  The  church  owns  its  house  of  worship.  Rev. 
E.  D.  Dromgoole  is  pastor  of  Mt.  Pisgah  church.  The  general  cause 
has  been  weakened  by  too  many  organizations. 

The  Second  church  of  Atlantic  City  was  organized  in  1889,  and  has 
had  a  prosperous  growth.  It  reported  496  members  in  1903  and  owns 
its  church  edifice.  Rev.  E.  Jenkins  has  been  pastor  since  1892.  There 
are  two  other  churches.  One  of  them,  Mt.  Nebo,  pastor,  Rev.  L.  E. 
Jones,  came  into  existence  in  1899. 

At  Haddonfield,  Mt.  Olivet  church  started  in  1892,  has  had  a 
prosperous  life  under  the  successful  care  of  pastor  J.  P.  Gregory.  It 
has  a  commodius  house  of  worship.  Merchantville  Second,  (1895)  and 
Moorestown  Second,  (1896)  are  somewhat  indebted  to  the  missionary 
spirit  and  labors  of  Mr.  Gregory  and  his  church.  Both  of  these  churches 
have  substantial  houses  of  worship. 

At  MorristowTi,  the  African  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  1889 
and  is  fulfilling  her  mission  under  the  efficient  leadership  of  pastor 
G.  E.  Morris,  and  in  a  meeting  house  suited  to  present  needs.     Cran- 


AFRO-AMERICAN    BAPTIST  CHURCHES  527 

ford  (1887)  was  fostered  for  several  years  by  its  first  pastor,  Rev.  W.  H. 
Wallace.  It  has  a  respectable  house  of  worship.  Rev.  William  Perry 
was  pastor  in  1903.  Roselle  Second  is  a  small  but  vigorous  body, 
owning  its  meeting  house,  and  contributing  to  different  benevolent 
objects.     Rev.  W.  M.  Vaughan  is  pastor  (1904). 

Baptist  interests  among  the  colored  people  of  Trenton  has  had 
a  varied  history.  Several  unsuccessful  efforts  had  been  made,  but 
in  1896,  the  Shiloh  Baptist  church  was  organized,  and  for  several  years, 
worshipped  in  hired  houses.  But  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  A.  R. 
Satterfield,  (1900-03)  with  the  co-operation  of  the  Baptists  of  the 
city,  a  neat  house  of  worship  was  erected.  Various  lines  of  church 
work  are  successfuly  carried  on.  There  is  another  church,  Union,  Rev. 
J.  L.  Burton,  pastor,  which  maintains  a  struggling  existence,  and  w^hich 
ought  to  be  united  with  the  Shiloh  church. 

At  Princeton,  there  is  a  good  and  growing  interest,  which  was 
organized  in  1885  as  the  Bright  Hope  Baptist  church.  It  has  a  com- 
modius  house  of  worship  and  a  parsonage;  large  congregations  and  a 
prosperous  Sunday-school.  It  has  enjoyed  the  pastorates  of  good  men. 
The  present  pastor.  Rev.  D.  H.  Klugh,  entered  upon  his  duties  1902. 
The  church  has  received  aid  from  the  Trenton  Association,  the  State 
Convention  and  from  the  Chairman  of  the  Missionary  Committee  of 
the  Trenton  Association.     Its  membership  in  1903  was  195. 

There  is  a  large  colored  population  in  the  Oranges.  In  1887,  the 
Calvary  Baptist  church  was  organized,  and  soon  after,  purchased  the 
church  edifice  of  the  First  Baptist  church  in  East  Orange.  In  1903, 
it  reported  273  members.  It  has  a  good  Sunday-school  and  good 
congregations,  and  contributes  to  benevolent  objects.  There  are  four 
other  churches:  Mt.  Olive,  G.  W.  Krygar,  pastor;  North  Clinton  St., 
E.  D.  Samuels,  pastor;  South  Orange,  a  small  but  growing  interest, 
and  Ebenezer,  Orange,  with  a  membership  of  318,  and  one  other. 

At  Monclair,  there  are  two  churches.  The  older  is  the  Union 
(1887),  a  prosperous  interest,  owning  valuable  property,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  477.  Its  pastor  is  J.  C.  Love.  The  other,  a  young  church,  is 
doing  some  aggressive  work. 

There  are  small  interests  at  Keyport  (1893),  Rev.  D.  D.  Hall 
pastor;  at  Matawan,  (1892),  Rev.  P.  T.  Morris,  pastor;  at  MiddletowTi, 
Rev.  J.  W.  Hamlin,  pastor  or  supply.  At  Long  Branch,  the  Second 
Baptist  church  has  a  membership  of  260,  under  the  pastoral  care  of 
Rev.  A.  Smallwood.  Also  the  Ebenezer  church,  started  in  1902,  Rev. 
R.  W.  Fields,  pastor. 

At  Red  Bank,  there  are  two  churches:  The  Calvary  (1886),  pur- 
chased the  old  house  of  the  First  Baptist  church  and  removed  it  to  a  new 


628  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

location.  This  building  was  lost  by  fire,  but  a  new  one  has  been  erected. 
Rev.  J.  W.  Hamlin  is  pastor.  The  Pilgrim  church  (1894)  is  more  cen- 
trally located,  and  is  growing  under  the  labors  of  pastor  L.  J.  Tunston. 
It  would  be  better  for  the  general  cause  if  both  churches  were  one 
organization.  Better  support  would  be  given  the  pastor  and  more 
effective  work  could  be  done. 

At  Lake  wood,  work  began  among  the  colored  people  about  1894, 
which  resulted  in  the  Sixth  Street  Baptist  church  in  1895.  Energy 
and  perseverance  have  characterized  the  movement.  Prosperity  is 
enjoyed  under  the  wise  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  A.  G.  Young.  They  own 
their  meeting  house  and  in  1903,  reported  a  membership  of  50.  As 
Lakewood  is  a  winter  resort,  their  congregations  are  excellent  during 
that  season  of  the  year. 

Early  in  1903,  Rev.  R.  F.  Thomas  visited  Hightsto^Ti  and  began 
labors  among  the  colored  people.  Success  attended  him  and  on  June 
5th,  an  organization  was  effected,  of  ten  members,  under  the  name  of 
Mt.  Olivet  Baptist  church.  On  September  18th,  it  was  publicly  recog- 
nized by  a  Council  of  the  Trenton  Association.  It  has  the  hearty 
approval  of  the  First  Baptist  church.  Mr.  Thomas  continues  as  pastor 
with  a  membership  of  twenty-five  (1904). 

Other  churches  may  be  mentioned:  Macedonian,  Cape  May  (1892), 
G.  W.  Kemp,  pastor;  Angelic,  Bayonne  (1888),  Rev.  J.  T.  Thornton, 
pastor;  St.  Paul,  Atlantic  Highlands,  Rev.  E.  W.  Wain\\Tight  as  pastor; 
Mt.  Olive,  Hackensack  (1892),  Rev.  T.  B.  Twisby,  pastor;  Calvary 
Second,  Hopewell  (1892),  Rev.  T.  E.  Johnson,  pastor;  Madison  First 
(1897);  Mt.  Zion,  Passaic  (1901);  Pennington  (1903),  Rev.  E.  D.  Crawley 
pastor;  Rahway  Second  (1898),  Rev.  L.  L.  Coone,  pastor;  Mt.  Ararat, 
Rutherford  (1895),  N.  L.  Harris,  pastor;  Fountain,  Summit,  Rev.  J.  E. 
Cothran,  pastor;  New  York  Avenue,  Westfield  (1893),  Rev.  W.  P. 
Ross,  pastor;  Second  Freehold,  Rev.  J.  R.  Brown,  pastor;  Mt.  Zion, 
Passaic  (1901);  Palmyra  (about  1899);  Swedesboro  (1904);  PaulsboxO 
(1904)  and  others.  Besides  these,  there  are  a  number  of  missions  at 
Vineland,  Riverside,  Bordentown,  Pompton  and  other  places. 

Since  1876,  there  has  been  a  large  emigration  into  New  Jersey 
of  colored  people  from  the  South,  especially  from  Virginia.  These 
are,  largely  of  Baptist  preferences,  and  very  many  members  of  Baptist 
churches  in  the  South.  They  do  not  feel  at  home  with  their  white 
brethren  of  the  North,  and  very  naturally  wish  a  religious  home  of 
their  own.  Missions  have  been  formed  and  churches  organized.  A 
missionary  spirit  has  been  developed  and  many  have  become  exhorters 
and  licentiate  preachers.  With  great  industry  and  perseverance  they 
have  visited  places  wherever  people  of  their  own  race  could  be  found, 


AFRO-AMERICAN    BAPTIST  CHURCHES  520 

holding  meetings,  and  starting  missions  which  have  growTi  often  into 
churches. 

Frequently  a  spirit  of  great  sacrifice  and  devotion  to  the  cause 
has  been  manifested.  The  growth  has  been  rapid  and  churches  have 
been  multiplied.  Their  evening  congregations  are  generally  large  and 
quite  out  of  proportion  to  their  church  membership.  This  is  owing  to 
their  changing  population,  and  to  the  fact  that  many  spend  only  seven 
or  eight  months  of  the  year  in  the  north,  returning  south  for  the 
winter. 

Some  of  the  missions  and  churches  have  been  troubled  with  bad 
and  inefficient  leaders.  In  such  cases,  the  work  has  been  greatly 
hindered.  In  some  cases,  brethren,  who  like  "Diotrephes,  lovcth  to 
have  the  pre-eminence,"  have  caused  divisions,  unsettled  pastors, 
started  independent  missions  and  little  churches.  Thus  in  some  places 
there  is  a  church  too  many.  But  upon  the  whole,  the  work  of  the 
colored  Baptists  has  been  quite  successful  in  the  midst  of  great  diffi- 
culties, and  they  merit  the  sympathy  and  prayers  of  God's  people 
everywhere. 

About  1893,  the  Afro-American  churches  in  the  \'icinity  of  Plain- 
field,  Elizabeth  and  Newark,  formed  the  Afro-American  Association 
of  New  Jersey.  It  was  incorporated  February  6,  1894.  Its  object 
is  "to  spread  the  Gospel  and  do  missionary  work  in  the  State  of  New 
Jersey  and  wherever  Providence  may  provide."  It  has  had  a  varying 
membership.  In  1900,  it  reported  thirty-two  churches;  in  1903,  forty- 
two  churches.  It  holds  its  meetings  annually  the  last  week  in  Sep- 
tember. 

Its  officers  for  the  year  ending  1901,  were:  President,  Rev.  W.  A. 
Harris,  Cranford,  N.  J.;  vice  president,  Rev.  W.  H.  Wallace,  Asbury 
Park,  N.  J.;  corresponding  secretary,  Rev.  A.  G.  Young,  D.D.,  New 
Brunswick,  N.  J.;  recording  secretary.  Rev.  George  W.  Krygar,  East 
Orange,  N.  J.;  treasurer.  Rev.  E.  E.  Jackson,  Plainfield,  N.  J.  Its 
Foreign  Mission  Board:  Rev.  M.  W.  Vaughan,  Chairman;  Rev.  Asbury 
Smallwood,  Secretary;  Rev.  J.  L.  Burton,  Rev.  George  E.  Morris,  B.  D., 
Rev.  E.  W.  Roberts,  Rev.  L.  B.  Twisby.  Its  general  state  missionary. 
Rev.  J.  H.  Bailey.     Rev.  R.  D.  Wynn  is  secretary  for  1904. 

About  the  same  time,  as  the  formation  of  the  above  Association, 
the  colored  Baptist  pastors  of  Camden  and  vicinity  started  a  South 
Jersey  Missionary  Union.  Its  object  was  the  helping  one  another,  and 
starting  and  assisting  mission  fields  and  weak  interests.  This  society 
meets  with  some  pastor  and  his  church  on  a  fifth  Sunday  of  a  month, 
beginning  on  the  Saturday  preceeding.  It  thus  has  four  gatherings 
a  year.     The  meetings  are  largely  attended  and  have  resulted  in  great 


530  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTOKY 

profit  and  helpfulness  to  the  brethren  and  the  churches.  The  pastors 
generally  have  entered  heartily  into  the  work.  Rev.  J.  P.  Gregory  of 
Haddonfield,  has  acted  some  time  as  Sec^etarJ^ 

In  1903,  the  Seacoast  Missionary  Baptist  Association  of  New 
Jersey  was  organized,  and  held  its  first  meeting  with  the  Mt.  Moriah 
Baptist  church,  Asbury  Park,  on  August  13  to  17,  1903.  The  object  of 
this  Association  is  to  do  missionary  work,  and  help  weak  churches 
among  the  colored  population  along  the  sea-coast  and  vicinity,  south 
of  the  Raritan  River.  It  reported  sixteen  churches.  The  officers  were : 
WiUiam  H.  WaUace,  Moderator;  R.  W.  Fields,  Clerk,  D.  D.  HaU, 
Treasurer;  M.  F.  Mathews,  Corresponding  Secretary.  The  annual 
meeting  is  held  on  Thursday  before  the  third  Lord's  Day  in  August. 
The  Second  annual  meeting  was  at  Asbury  Park  in  1904  and  reported 
seventeen  churches. 

It  is  difficult  to  obtain  complete  statistics  of  the  Afro-American 
Baptist  churches  in  New  Jersey.  Some  of  them  are  not  connected 
with  any  Association,  and  but  few  of  them  make  careful  returns  of 
membership,  Sunday-school  work,  or  of  money  raised  for  expenses 
and  benevolences.  So  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  there  are,  in  1904, 
sixty-nine  churches  and  several  missions,  with  a  membership  of  10,500. 
About  forty  have  meeting  houses;  about  thirty  worship  in  halls.  The 
value  of  church  property  owned  and  paid  for  is  $153,000.  There  are 
sixty  pastors,  and  about  forty  licentiates,  some  of  whom  are  in  schools. 

Thus  the  Scripture  is  being  fulfilled  which  says,  "Ethiopia  shall 
soon  stretch  out  her  hands  unto  God." 


Wm 


CHAPTER  LXIIL 


ASBURY  PARK. 

The  manuscript  of  the  Ashury  Park  church  was  mislaid,  and  the  his- 
tory is  therefore  placed  here. 

The  first  Baptist  church  of  Asbury  Park  was  born,  chiefly  of  the 
earnest  efforts  of  the  missionary  committee  of  the  Trenton  Association. 
The  chairmen  of  that  committee  often  visited  the  place  and  found 
many  Baptists  tliere  from  the  whole  country:  New  England,  the  South, 
the  West,  were  represented  largely.  In  fact.  Baptists  were  much  like 
a  church  in  new  towns  in  the  West.  Ofttimes,  members  of  the  commit- 
tee preached  there  long  before  an  organization  of  the  church.  Es- 
pecially, Rev.  A.  Armstrong,  who  subsequently  was  called  to  be 
pastor. 

The  first  meeting  of  Baptists  was  held  in  February  about  1875. 
This  meeting  resolved  itself  into  a  Business  Session.  Wilson  Rose 
was  appointed  a  committee  to  write  to  the  chairman  of  the  Missionary 
Committee  of  the  Trenton  Association,  upon  the  subject  of  an  organi- 
zation of  a  Baptist  church.  Thirty-seven  Baptists  were  ready  to  enter 
into  such  an  organization  of  such  a  body. 

Subsequent  meetings  were  held  at  various  homes.  One  at  the 
house  of  Brother  West  at  Hamilton  Square,  at  which,  Rev.T.  S.  Griffiths 
chairman  of  the  Missionary  Committee,  was  present.  Thirty  names 
of  those  willing  to  unite  in  the  ijev/  interest  were  secured.  Uriah  White 
and  Jonathan  were  appointed  a  committee  to  prepare  "articles  of 
faith."  After  this,  meetings  were  held  in  the  homes  of  different  mem- 
bers. 

On  April  9th,  1877,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  the  clerk, 
at  which  a  delegation  of  the  missionary  committee  was  present.  Rev. 
T.  S.  Griffiths  and  Thomas  Burrowes  of  Keyport.  At  which  this  reso- 
lution was  adopted: 

"We,  the  undersigned,  do  now  covenant  with  each  other  as  Baptists, 
and  solemnly  agree  to  enter  into  church  relationship  as  a  regular  Bap- 
tist church.  G.  S.  Dye,  Eliner  Dye,  Elisha  Rittenhouse,  Delia  Ritten- 
house  of  Sandy  Ridge,  H.  B.  Lockerson,  Mrs.  E.  T.  Lockerson,  Jonathan 
West,  Mrs.  H.  West,  Wilson  Rose,  James  Bresnahan  and  Mrs.  Bresna- 
han,  Miss  Georgie  Brown,  Mrs.  Caroline  Brown,  Miss  Emily  C.  Brown, 
John  Sutphin,  Miss  Harriet  M.  Gilhooly,  Mrs.  Caroline  Hohnes,  Miss 


532  NEW  JERSEY  BAPTIST  HISTORY 

Ada  F.  Rittenhouse,  Mrs.  Anna  E.  Wykoff,  Mrs.  Amy  C.  Rose,  Saxon 
J.  Raymond,"  in  aU,  twenty-one. 

Soon  after,  arrangements  were  made  for  the  recognition  of  the 
church.  Nine  churches  in  the  vicinity  were  invited  to  recognize  the 
bod}'  as  a  Baptist  church.     The  Council  met  on  the  17th,  1877. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Bradley  of  Asbury  Park,  the  church 
used  Park  Hall  until  they  could  build  a  house  of  worship.  On  Novembei 
26th,  T.  R.  Taylor  was  called  to  be  pastor  and  was  ordained  on  January 
22d,  1873.     Mr.  Taylor  proved  an  efficient  and  missionary  pastor. 

May  9th,  1878,  steps  were  taken  to  build  a  church  edifice.  C.  B 
Stout  of  New  Brunswick  was  accustomed  to  spend  his  vacations  at 
Asbury  Park.  Mrs.  Stout  had  a  sister  who  was  influenced  to  give 
S800,  at  least,  to  the  church.  With  this,  accumulated  debts  were  paid 
and  the  house  was  completed.  The  house  is  large,  well  located,  the 
ground,  having  been  given  by  Mr.  Bradley  at  a  later  date,  lots  were 
bought  and  a  parsonage  built  in  the  rear  of  the  church. 

Now  an  effort  is  being  made  to  build  a  new  house  in  a  more  eligible 
location.  In  one  year,  the  congregations  were  compelled,  by  a  great 
revival,  to  occupy  the  unfinished  house  which  they  did  at  very  con- 
siderable cost  of  convenience  and  comfort. 

Mr.  Taylor  received  a  visit  from  Avon,  asking  for  help  to  come 
there  and  open  meetings.  He  went,  began  a  Sunday-school  and 
preached  at  its  close.  Preaching  in  the  morning  at  Asbury  Park,  he 
walked  to  Avon,  four  or  five  miles,  and  returned  in  time  to 
preach  in  the  evening.  He  also  superintended  the  Sunday- 
school  at  Avon  and  taught  a  class  at  Sunday-school  in  Asbury  Park. 
^\s  a  result,  he  baptized  many  at  Avon  and  at  Belmar,  laying  the  foun- 
dation of  a  Baptist  church  at  Bebnar. 

Besides  securing  lots  at  Avon  and  accumulating  $800  for  a  church 
edifice  at  Avon,  he  was  also  offered  lots  at  Belmar  for  a  house  of  wor- 
ship, and  had  there  been  a  church  there  to  hold  them  they  would  have 
had  a  house  of  worship  in  a  central  location  and  accessible  to  the  summer 
visitors. 

Thus,  on  his  return  and  settlement  at  Avon,  he  entered 
upon  the  charge  of  a  church  where  he  had  laid  its  first  founda- 
tions. Mr.  Taylor  presented  his  resignation,  unfortunately,  on 
January  1st,  1884.  It  was  declined.  But  after  a  conference  on  the 
subject,  was  accepted  at  a  meeting  on  November  5th,  1885,  nearly  two 
years  after  its  presentation.  Mr.  F.  C.  Colby  followed;  but  no  substi- 
tute could  hold  the  place  and  exert  the  power  of  the  first  pastor,  whose 
congregations  crowded  the  house  and  he  was  a  vast  power  in  Asbury 
Park. 


ASBURY   PARK  533 

Mr.  Taylor  baptized  306  in  seven  years,  an  average  of  43  each 
year.  One  was  licensed  to  preach,  much  of  whose  expenses  were  paid 
by  Mr.  Taylor.  He  was  followed  by  Mr.  Colby.  It  is  worthy  of 
mention  that  a  revival  of  religion  occurred  under  his  ministry  during 
the  winter  of  1892.  He  closed  his  labors  Oct.  1st,  1893,  and  he  was 
followed  by  Mr.  Martin  in  December,  1893.  A  mortgage  of  thirteen 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  paid  in  his  pastorate.  Mr.  Martin  was 
followed  by  Rev.  John  Love,  Jr.,  in  1902. 


INDEX  OF   NAMES 


F»ersons  Deceased,  of  whom  Special  A^ention 
is  IVIacle 


Aaron,  Rev.  Samuel  180,  188,  503 

Adams,  Rev.  J.  Q.  421 

Allen,  Rev.  George  180 
AUison,  Rev.Burgess  179,  218,  501 

Ambler,  Rev.  E.  C.  283 

Amory,  Peter  B.  288 

Ashton,  James  211 

Babbage,  Rev.  J.  B.  390 

Bacon,  Rev.  Wm.  162 

Page,  Rev.  C.  J.  259 

Baldwin,  Dea.  H.  M.  306,  310 

Ball,   Dea.   Abner  295,297 

Banvard,    Rev.   J.  379 

Barker,  Rev.  E.  M.  184,  322 

Barnhurst,  Rev.  W.  182 

Barras,  Rev.  Thomas  76,  85 

Bartolette,   Rev.  C.  97 

Beck,  Rev.  L.  G.  131/^74 

Belden,   Rev.   J.  |f223 

Bennett,  Rev.  Benjamin  29 

Boggs,  Pastor  John  71,  442 

Borden,    Joseph    Jr.  217 

Breed,  Rev.  J.  B.  395 

Boyle,  Rev.  W.  E.  454 
Brainard,  David  and  John         203 

Brantley,  Rev.  W.  T.  Sr.  490 

Brooks,  Rev.  Timothy  39 

Brooks,  Rev.  Thomas  162 

Brown,   Rev.   J.    F.  60,^259 

Brown,  Rev.  Thomas  48 

Brown,  Rev.  (of  Orient*  135 

Butcher,  Rev.  Wm.  39 

Carman,  Rev.  James  113 

Carpenter,  Dea.  J.  M.  L,.394 
Carpenter,  Rev.  J.  M.  |[203,  216 
CauldweU,    Rev.    A.  ^- ..:        462 


ChaUis,  Rev.  J.  M.  212,  215 

Church,  Rev.  I.  M.  Sr.  352 
Rev.  I.  M.  Church    165,  296,  353 

Clancy,  Rev.  T.  F.  90 
Conklin,  Dea.  (Hackensack)     393 

Cornelius,  Rev.  Samuel  187 
Comwell,  Rev.  W.  E.,  Sr.,   59,  158 

Cozard,  Dea.  Samuel  80 

Crumb,  Rev.  J.  W.  238 

Curtis,  Rev.  Thomas  72 

Curtis,  Dea.  Wm.  125 

Davies,  Dea.  J.   M.  306,  310 

Davis,  Rev.  John  344 

Davis,   Rev.  Thomas,  297 

Day,  Rev.  J.,  309 

De  Wolf,  Dea.  Wm.  392 

Devan,  Rev.  T.  T.  335 

Dickinson,  Rev.  E.  W.  181 

Dodge,  Rev.  Daniel  257,  301 

Doolittle,  Rev.  H.  D.,  405 

Drake,  Elkanah  285 

Drake,   Rev.   John  254 

Drake,   Rev.  S.  J.  324 

Dunham,  Rev.  Edmund  519 
Dunham,  Rev.  Jonathan          520 

Eaton,  Rev.  Isaac  68,  427 

Edwards,  Jeremiah  354 
Edwards,    Morgan    V. 

Edwards,  Rev.  Moses  295 

Eisenbrey,  Rev.  J.  S.  230 
Elliott,  Rev.  (Middletown)         29 

Ellis,  Wm.  B.  146 

Ely,  Henry,  (Holmdel)  36 

Ely,  Dea.  H.  (Freehold)  224 

Ely,  Wm.  36 

Fendall,  Rev.  E.  D.  42,  266 


INDEX  OF  NAMES 


Fleischmann,  Rev.  K. 

A.    649 

,474 

Fletcher,  Rev.  L. 

339 

Ford,  Rev.  John 

279 

Fish,  Rev.  H.  C. 

303 

Frederick,  Rev.  M. 

58 

Freas,  Rev.  D.  J. 

51, 135 

417 

Frey,  Rev.  C.  J. 

301 

Gano,  Rev.  John 

273 

GaskiU,  Rev.  Job 

206, 

238 

Glover,  Rev.  E.  V. 

365 

Green,  H.  K. 

503 

GreneUe,  Rev.  Z. 

342 

,379 

Gubelmann,  Rev.  H. 

421 

Haas,  Brothers 

505 

Hague,  Rev.  Wm. 

307 

,400 

Harrison,  Rev.  J.  C. 

220 

,511 

Hart,   John 

67 

Hart,  Rev.  Oliver 

70 

Hatt,  John 

398 

Hatt,  Rev.  Josiah      S 

!78,  398 

,408 

Havens,  Rev.  A.  0.  S. 

434 

.123 

Hay,  Rev.  A.  J. 

373, 

,374 

Heaton,  Rev.  Samuel 

79, 

,347 

Hedden,  Rev.  B.  F. 

361 

Hedden,  Rev.  W.  D. 

398 

HiU,  Rev.  D.  T. 

324 

Hill,  Dea.  T.  C. 

141 

Hires,  Rev.  Wm.  D. 

33 

Holcombe,  Rev.  H. 

357 

Hohnes,  Obadiah  Jr., 

and  Sr. 

16 

Holmes,  Mary 

35 

Honeywell,  John 

94, 

500 

Hopkins,  Rev.  C.  J. 

48,  59, 

359 

Horr,  Rev   G  E. 

316, 

405 

Hoskin,  Rev.  C.  H. 

379 

Howe,  James 

409 

HoweU,  Dea.  Ezekiel 

276 

Hunt,  Rev.  G.  A. 

73 

Hutchinson,  Rev.  J.  B. 

152 

Hyde,  Rev.  J.  C. 

353, 

504 

James,  Rev.  David 

349, 

358 

James,  Rev.  S.  C. 

49 

Jenkins,  Rev.  N.  346 

Johnson,  Rev.  George  436 

Jones,  Rev.  David  300 
Jones,    Rev.    H.    V.         258,302 

Kain,  Charles  192 
Kain,    Rev.    C.    Jr.,         216,406 

Keach,  Rev.  Elias  178 

Kelsay,  Rev.  Daniel  234 

Kelsay,  Rev.  R.  40 

Kempton,  Rev.  George  430 

Ketcham,  Rev.  F.  181 
KiUingsworth,  Rev.  Thomas       38 

Ivline,  Rev.  P.  A.  H.  251 

Knapp,  Rev.  H.  W.  413 
Knapp,  Rev.  S.  J.             309,  382 

Lamb,  Rev.  E.  W.  390 

Larison,  G.  H.,  M.  D.  110 

Lathrop,  Rev.  C.  C.  341 

Lathrop,    Rev.    L.  321 

Leonard,  Richard  A.  247 

Lewis,  Rev.  D.  258 

Lewis,  Rev.  D.  D.  379 

Locke,  Rev.  W.  E.  266 
Longstreet,  Jonathan         116,  507 

Lorraine,  Nathan  61 

LowTy,  Rev.  Robert  326 

Lucas,  Rev.  E.  134 

Luke,   Rev.  Wm.  267 

Lung,  Rev.  A.  H.  372 

Malcom,  Thomas  157 

Magowan,  Rev.  A.  172 

Mamiing,  Pres.  James  268 

Mason,  Rev.  H.  G.  318 

Mason,  Pethuel,  404 
Marsh,  Rev.  Wm.              337,  338 

Martin,  Dea.  H.  340 

Meech,  Rev.  W.  W.  433 

McGowan,  Rev.  A.  191 

McKinney,  Rev.  John  290 

McLaughlin,  Rev.  J.  257 

Miller,  Rev.  Benjamin  263 

Miller.  Rev.  D.  H.  132 


INDEX  OF  NAMES 


53; 


Miner,  Rev.  N.  AV. 

142 

Shepherd,  Rev.  Joseph 

187 

Moore,  Rev.  Isaac 

42.  349 

Sheppard,   Rev.   Job 

41,45 

Moore,  James 

378 

Simonson.  Rev.  G.  A. 

311 

Morgan,  Abel 

20.  27 

Sisty,  Rev.  John 

191, 195 

MorriU,  Rev.  D.  T. 

310 

Skilhnan,    Rev.    Isaac 

46 

Morrison,   Matthew 

55 

Slater,  Rev.  F.  A. 

237, 238 

Morse,  Rev.  B.  C. 

395 

Smalley,   Rev.   Henry 

41 

Mulford,  Rev.  C.  W.  98, 

, 115. 173 

Smith."  Rev.  H.  F. 

189 

Mulford,  H.  J. 

508 

Smith,  Dea.  Joseph  M. 

243 

Mulford,  Rev.  J.  B., 

405 

Smith,  Rev.  L. 

116, 132 

Nightingale,  Rev.  Wm. 

49 

Southworth.  Rev.  S. 

339 

Parmelee,  Rev.  D.  S. 

176 

Sproul,  Rev.  Samuel 

76 

Parmly,  Rev.  W.  H. 

411.  181 

Stelle,  Rev.  Benjamin 

255 

Patton,  Rev.  A.  S. 

196 

SteUe.  Rev.   Isaac 

264 

Peckworth,  Rev.  J.  P. 

233 

Stites,  Rev.  S. 

150 

Peddie,   Hon.    Thos.    B. 

118,506 

Stout,  C.  B., 

532 

Perkins,  Rev.  Aaron 

50 

Stout,  Rev.  D.  B. 

17,30 

Penny,  Rev.  J. 

77 

Sutton,  Rev.  Abner, 

282 

Pierson,  Rev.  J. 

418 

Sutton,  Rev.  David, 

73,96 

PoweU,    Rev.    P. 

191,349 

Swain,  Rev.  Thomas 

99 

Purdun,  Rev.  D.  P. 

333 

Swan,  Rev.  C.  Y. 

307 

Quinn,  Rev.  Michael 

355 

Sym.  Rev.  Wm. 

277 

Rambaut,  Rev.  Thomas 

305 

Taylor,  Mrs.  -\nn  B. 

31,492 

RandaU,  Rev.  N.  B. 

431 

Taylor,  Rev.  E.  G. 

305,  317 

Randolph,  Rev.  J.  Fitz 

320 

Taylor,  Rev.  T.  R.  Sr. 

223,  360 

Rhees,  Rev.  J.  Morgan 

129 

Teasdale,  Rev.  John 

80 

Rittenhouse,  Robert 

102 

Teasdale,    Rev.    John 

Roberts,     Rev.     Thos. 

29.33 

and  Thomas 

341,389 

Rogers,  Rev.  John 

173,266 

Thomas,  Rev.  A.  G. 

189 

RoUinson,  Rev.  Wm. 

395 

Todd,    Rev.    John 

63 

Rouse,  Rev.  H.  H. 

402 

Tunison,  S.  B. 

404 

Ruddy,  Rev.  Wm. 

53 

Thompson,    Edgar 

444 

Rue,  Rev.  Joshua  E.  116. 

215, 267 

Turton,  Rev.  W.  H. 

278 

Run  van,  Dea.  .\sa 

329 

Van  Horn,  Rev.  P.  P.  46 

. 170, 176 

Runyon,  Judge  P.  P. 

331 

Van   Horn,   Rev.   W. 

265 

Rvmyon,  Rev.  Reune 

256 

Van  Wickle,  Dea.  Simon  331,  335 

Russell,  Rev.  P.  R. 

433 

Verrinder,  Rev.  W. 

411 

Rutter,  Rev.  Thos. 

518 

Ward,   U.  D. 

422 

Sarles,  Rev.  J.  W. 

260 

Waterbury,  Rev.  J.  H. 

286 

Segar,   Rev.   John 

115 

Waterhouse,  Rev.  C.  W. 

308 

SerreU,  Mrs.  :Mary  E. 

456 

Watkinson,  Mrs.  M.  Keen  207,  208 

Sharp,  Rev.  Daniel 

300 

Webb,  Rev.  G.  S. 

330,  484 

538 


INDEX  OF  NAMES 


Webster,   Rev.   George 
Welsh,  Rev.  J.  E. 
Wigg,  Rev.  J.  W. 
Wilcox,  Rev.  James 
Wilcox,  Rev.  J.  T. 
Wilcox,  Rev.  Moses 
Wilkinson,  Rev.  Thos. 
Wilson,  Rev.  C.  E.        1 
Wilson,   Rev.   Drake 


400 

Wilson,  Hon.  D.  M.    118,  316,  506 

188 

Wilson,  Rev.  Peter                     114 

74 

Wood,  Richard,                         416 

292 

Wright,   Rev.   Lyman                137 

136 

Wright,  Rev.  T.  G.                    43 

525 

Wynn,  Dea.  Isaac                     166 

467 

Wynn,  Rev.  I.  C.                      361 

1,59 

Young,  Rev.  George                 116 

376 

Young,  Rev.  R.  F.      49,  197,  453 

wm 


GENKRAL   INDKX 


Afro-American    Association,    529. 

Allentown,  153. 

Alloway,  55. 

Amboy,  Perth,  376. 

Amboy,  South,  443. 

Anglesea,  468. 

Arlington,    First,    458;    Swedish, 

475. 
Asbury  Park,   First,  531;  Second, 

526. 
Associational^  Missions,    486. 
Mt.  Moriah,  326. 
Antinomianism,  514-517. 
Atlantic  City,  First,  453;  Second, 

526;  Bethany,  454;  Mt.  Nebo, 

526. 
Atlantic  ■  Highlands,    First,    248; 

Central,  249;  St.  Paul,  528. 
Avon,  532. 

Baptisttown,   Kingwood,   74. 
Bayonne,    First,      456;      Bergen 

Point,  456;  Angelic,  528. 
Belvidere,  426. 
Behnar,  532. 
Bergen,  425. 
Berlin,  204. 
Bethlehem,  85. 
Beverly,  183. 
Berkly,  407. 
Bible  Schools,  490. 
Blackwood,  416. 
Bloomfield,  422. 
Bloomingdale,  388. 
Bordentown,  217;  School  at,  501. 
Brookdale,  423. 
Burlington,    First,    178;    Second, 

525;  School  at,  503. 
Burrsville,  Orient,  124. 
Butler,  449. 


Bridgeton,  First,  58;  Berean,  65; 
Pearl  Street,  64. 

Camden,  First,  357;  Second,  362; 
Third,  364;  Seventh,  525; 
Bethany,  373;  Emmanuel,  364; 
Grace,  373;  Linden,  369; 
Mt.  Zion,  525;  Broadway, 
366;  North,  367;  Rosedale, 
374;  St.  John,  374;  Tabernacle, 
367;  Trinity,  371;  Stockton, 
364;  Italian,  473. 

Caldwell,    421. 

Canisteer,  448. 

Canton,  52. 

Cape  May,  F'irst,  347;  Second, 
355;  Dennisville,  351;  Island 
City,  353;  Calvary,  439. 

Macedonian,  528. 

CedarviUe,  62. 

Central  Association,  482. 

Cherryville,   104. 

Chesterfield,  207. 

Clayton,  461. 

Clinton,  87. 

Cohansie,  37. 

Columbus,  206. 

Cranford,  526. 

Croton,  105. 

Delaware,  94. 

Demarest,  445. 

Dennisville,  350. 

Dias  Creek,  440. 

Dividing  Creek,  161. 

Dover,    First,   83;    Swedish,    477 

Drakesville,    Ledgewood,    81,    82. 

Eatontown,  244. 

Echo  Lake,  447. 

Education,  496;  in  New  Jersey, 
497. 


540 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Egg  Harbor,  473. 

Elizabeth,  First,  285;  Central,  289. 

East,     288;     Broad     St.,     288; 

German,     473;     Fourth,     526; 

Shiloh,   291,   526;   Union,   291, 

526. 
Flemington,  73,  96. 
Florence,  185. 
Frenchtown,  76. 

Freehold,  First,  222;  Second,  528. 
Freehold,  Upper,  Imlaysto^vn,  210 
German  Baptists,  469,  473. 
George's  Road,  332. 
Glenwood,  428. 
Greenwich,  65. 
Greenwood  Mountain,  448. 
Gloucester,  370. 
Goshen,  488. 
Goshen,  later,  440. 
Hackensack,  First,  392;  Calvary, 

393;  Mt.  Olive,  528. 
Haddonfield,  First,  195;  Mt.  Olivet 

200,  526. 
Haddon  Heights,  201. 
Hamilton  Square,  150. 
Hamburg,  344. 
Hammonton,  430. 
Harrison,    317. 
Hasbrouck'^Heights,  465. 
Herbertsvilie,    Old    Bridge,    402. 
Hightstown,  112,  480,  528. 
Hoboken,  First,  408;  Second,  458, 

528;  German,  469. 
Hoboken,  West 

First  German,  472. 
Honeywell  School,  94,  500. 
Hopewell    First,    67-72;    Calvary, 

442;  Second,  107. 
Holmdel,  30. 
Hornerstown,   226. 
Howell,  225. 
Hudson  City,  412. 


JacobstouTi,  213. 
Jefferson  Village,  Maplewood,  297. 
Jamesburg,    German,     159,    471. 
Jersey  City  First,  Parmly  Memor- 
ial,    408,     411;     Bergen,     425; 

Bethesda,  525;  German  Pilgrim, 

471;   North,   415;   Salem,   525; 

Summit  Ave.,  412,  414;  Trinity, 

414;  Monumental,  525; 
Junction   Central,  88. 
Keyport,  236. 
Kingwood,  72,  96. 
Ivnowlton,  93. 
Lambertville,     First,     108;     Mt. 

Carmel,   528. 
Laurel  Springs,  463. 
Lafayette,  388. 
Lakewood,  First,  435;  Sixth  St., 

528. 
Ledgewood,    Drakesville,   81,   82. 
Livingston,  297. 
Long  Branch,  First,  245;  Second, 

528. 
Lyons  Farm,  292. 
Madison,  First,  528. 
Magnolia,   200. 
Manaque,   448. 
Manahawkin,  232,  452. 
Mansfield,   Port  Murray,  80. 
Manasquan,  120. 
Marlboro,  226. 
Marlton,  190. 

Matawan  First,  237;  Second,  527. 
Medford,  201. 
Merchantville  First,  462;  Second, 

527. 
Metuchen 
Middletown  First,  15,  480;  Union, 

528. 
Milton,  448. 
Milburn, 
MiUington,  283. 


GENERAJ.  L\DEX 


541 


MiUville,  First,   166;  North,   167. 

Missions,  428,  489. 

Moorestown  First,  198;  Second, 
526. 

Montclair  Union,  527. 

Swedish,  476. 

Montana,  92,  423. 

Morristown  First,  273;  African 
526. 

Mt.  Ephraim,  201. 

Mt.  HoUy,  186. 

Mt.  Bethel,  281. 

Mt.  Olive,  Schoole}''s  Mountain, 
79. 

Mt.  Salem,  394. 

MuUica  Hill,  405. 

Navesink,  247. 

Newark  First,  Peddie  Memorial, 
299;  South,  306;  Clinton  Ave. 
314;  Emmanuel,  318;  Fair- 
mount,  312;  Fifth,  310;  Mt. 
Pleasant,  313;  Mt.  Zion,  525 
North,  308;  Roseville,  316 
Bethany,  525;  Tabernacle,  318 
First  German,  470;  Second  Ger- 
man, 471;  Swedish,  476;  Italian, 
474;  Harrison,  317;  Afro- Amer- 
ican, 319. 

Newbold    and    Westville,    103. 

New  Brunswick  First,  329;  Liv- 
ingston Ave.,  335;  Ebenezer, 
332,  335. 

Newfield,  437. 

Newfoundland,  earlier,  84;  later, 
447. 

New  Jersey  Association,  428; 
early  missions,  479. 

New  Jersey  State  Convention,  483. 

Netcong,    83. 

Northfield,  294. 

Newbold,  419. 

New  Market,  327. 


New  Monmouth,  250. 

Newport,  167. 

Ne-wiion,  389. 

Ocean  City,  440. 

Odgensburg,  448. 

Old  Bridge,  334,  402. 

Orange  First,  398;  North,  399; 
Ebenezer,  527;  Washington  St., 
401;  Calvary,  527;  North  Clin- 
ton St.,  527;  Prospect  St.,  401; 
Italian,    475;    Swedish,    476. 

OsbornviUe    (Kettle    Creek)    123. 

Palmyra,  455. 

Passaic,  First,  381;  Mt.  Zion,  528; 
German,  382,  472;  Mission,  383; 
Italian,  475. 

Paterson  First,  378;  Fourth,  386; 
Emmanuel,  386;  Sixth,  386; 
Park   Ave.,   383;    Union   Ave., 

384;  Prospect  Park,  385;  Italian, 
475;  Calvary,  385,  526. 

Peddie  Institute,  116,  504-507. 

Pedricktown,  460. 

Philadelphia    Association,    480. 

Pemberton,  170. 

Pennington,  528. 

PhiUipsburg,  465. 

Pcnn's  Grove. 

Perth  Amboy,  376. 

Piscataway,   252. 

Pittsgrove,  228. 

Plainfield  First,  323;  Second,  325; 
Park  Ave.,  326;  Plainfield, 
School  at,  501;  Mt.  Olive,  525; 
Emmanuel  Calvary,  525. 

Pleasantville,  462. 

Point  Pleasant,  125. 

Princeton,  Penn's  Neck,  155. 

Princeton,  Bright  Hope,  527. 

Port  Elizabeth,  165. 

Port  Murray,  Mansfield,  90. 

Port  Norris,  168. 


542 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Quinton,  57. 

Rah  way  First,  395;  Second,  528. 

Reasons  for  -wTiting  this  History, 

V— XIV. 
Red   Bank,    First,   240;   Calvary, 

521;  Pilgrim,  528. 
Richland,  461. 
Ringoes,  109. 
Rio  Grande,  354. 
Riverton  and  Palmyra,  455. 
Roselle,  First,  445;  Second,  527. 
Roadsto^vn,  Cohansie,  37-45. 
Rutherford,  457;     Swedish,   476; 

Mt,  Ararat,  528. 
Samptown,  South  Plainfield,  320. 
Salem    First.    44;    Memorial,    56; 

Mt.  Zion,  526;  School  at,  533. 
Sandy  Ridge,  98,  100;  School  at, 

501. 
Scotch  Plains,  261. 
Schooley's  Mountain,  79. 
Seacoast   Missionary   Association. 

530. 
Seaview,  Somer's  Point,  438. 
Seventh    Day    Baptists,    518-524. 
SeweU,  419. 

Somer's  Point,  438,  468. 
Somerville,  404. 
South  Amboy,  443. 
South  Dennis,  351. 
South  Jersey  Institute,  507,    508. 
South   Jersey   Missionary   Union, 

529. 
South  Orange,  527. 
South  Plainfield,  320. 
South  River  Tabernacle,  333,  402. 
State  Convention,  483,  487. 


Stockton,  102,  363,  364. 
Summit,     First,    450;     Fountain, 

528. 
Sussex,  Wantage,  336. 
Swedesboro,  464. 
Sunday-schools,  491. 
Toms  River,  434. 
Temperance,  501-513. 
Trenton  First,  127;  Central,  135; 

Clinton  Ave.,   141;   Fifth,   148; 

Olivet,  145;  Calvary,  147;  Shi- 

loh,  527;  Union,  527. 
Tuckahoe,  164,  356. 
Tuckerton,  453. 
Union   Hill   First,   428;    German, 

472. 
Union  Valley,  449. 
Upper  Freehold,  210. 
VincentowTi,  203. 
Vineland  First,  431;  South,  432; 

West,  433. 
Wantage,  DeckertowTi,  336. 
Washington,  89. 
Werts^^Ile,  103. 
Westfield,   First,  427;  New  York 

Ave.,   428,  528. 
West  Brook  Valley,  448. 
West  Creek,  165,  452. 
West  Hoboken,  470;  German,  472. 
Westmont,  467. 
Westown,   342. 
Wildwood,  355. 
Windsor,  467. 
W^oodbine,  352. 
Woodbury  First,  416;  Central,420; 

Bethlehem,  528. 
Woodstown.  54. 


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A  history  of  Baptists    in  :Cev/ 
Jersey. 


ADD  9.  ^  m&i